


Pink Skies And The Skylines

by keicros_caramel



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Akaashi Keiji & Kozume Kenma Friendship, Alternate Universe - Hackers, Alternate Universe - High School, Bokuto Koutarou Being Bokuto Koutarou, Crush at First Sight, Dare, Explicit Language, Friendship/Love, Horny Teenagers, House Party, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru Fluff, M/M, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Partners in Crime, Social Anxiety, Team Mom Yaku Morisuke, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Video Format: Streaming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 32,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25497595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keicros_caramel/pseuds/keicros_caramel
Summary: Called all his life the daunting word of “boring”, Akaashi Keiji takes on the notorious dark web dare game of Nerve and soars the night with a fellow player, “Strix”. His second dare immediately takes him on an impromptu date to the city with this handsome stranger.>> You know the movie “Nerve”? This is it, but with BokuAka.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio/Miya Atsumu, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 66





	1. He’s Sweet Like Candy

**Author's Note:**

> Note: You don’t have to watch the movie, lol. If you don’t know it, it’s fine. I made sure to make this able to stand on its own either way. It would be cool to check the movie out later though! Highly recommend! It’s starred by Emma Roberts and Dave Franco.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi kissed a stranger and he likes it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S All setters belong to this one friend group. I wanna write the interaction of these salty idiots as actual friends. Enjoy reading, luvluv!

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕺𝖓𝖊  
𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲

  
“Wait, what?!” 

Akaashi jumped at the sudden exclaimation of his bestfriend, almost having his hand caught in the seatbelt lock. The pudding head faced him, making it back onto the driver’s seat. 

“Jeez, Kenma. What?” 

“You joined Nerve...like, as a player?” Kenma asked, leaning back on the seat and slamming his hands to his forehead. “You do realize that Nerve is sorta dangerous, right?” 

“What? Everyone plays it!” Akaashi defended. 

Kenma clicked his tongue, finally starting the car and driving away from Akaashi’s apartment. With a sigh, “Is this about Oikawa?” 

The raven rolled his eyes, leaning his head on his elbow. “No...” 

_Ah, who was he kidding?_ It is about their risk-taking overlord, Oikawa. He was none other than the Campus President of Commissions, ever so popular both on school grounds and online. Heck, almost every single one of his friends had something that holds them unique! It wasn’t just Oikawa. 

There’s Atsumu, their guy-next-door friendly quarterback. There’s also Kageyama, who Oikawa may tease as a killjoy but still had outstanding skills in volleyball. There’s also Shirabu, Semi and Suga, who were all presidents of their clubs. In Kenma’s case, he may share Akaashi’s social awkwardness but he himself had his own empire of internet knowledge to make up for it. 

In all essence of comparison, Akaashi was not a quarterback, a president of anything, or an internet expert like Kenma. If there’s a skill he was forced to write on some essay, it would be photography but even that doesn’t take him anywhere. He was just average in everything he did, he knew that. Good old Akaashi, the jack of no trades. 

He accepted his ordinary self long ago. 

Hearing it from someone else hurts on a different level, though. 

* * *

_Earlier..._

“OH! Here comes my cash!” Oikawa cheered, urging the others to crowd on his seat. Akaashi also took a small look on Oikawa’s phone, seeing some dark screen with the neon ‘Leaderboards’ on top. 

LEADERBOARDS   
1\. @blackcat 8.2k views   
2\. @MilkBread 7.5k views   
3\. @guessmonster 7.0k views   
4\. @Sunshine 6.1k views   
5\. @MoonDinosaur 4.7k views 

“Aw, man!” Atsumu frowned. “My brother and I dropped off the top 5?” 

“Haha!” Oikawa retaliated by grabbing the blonde’s milkshake out of his hands. “What can you say? I earned that second spot! Can you take on a dare like giving Ushijima a lap dance?” 

“Hey! Ew! Disgusting! He’s our team captain!” 

“That’s what I thought, motherfucker.” Oikawa laughed, proceeding to sip loudly. 

In his curiosity, Akaashi tapped Oikawa’s shoulder. “What’s that thing again? The dare app?” 

Oikawa was about to answer only to be too busy fighting over Atsumu’s milkshake. Once again, Akaashi went ignored. Suga took the initiative to answer instead. 

“Oh, it’s not an app. It’s some server dark web thing! It helps you gain money if you do dares from the viewers,” Suga explained, sipping his own smoothie. At this, Oikawa finally got rid of Atsumu’s flailing and turned to Akaashi. 

“What, baby Keij? You curious? Wanna play Nerve?” Oikawa asked, leaning on the diner chair and wiggling his brows. Akaashi immediately focused on his ketchup and fries at the sudden stare.

“I...yeah? What about it?” 

At this, Kenma abruptly raised his head from beside him, the ‘game over’ screen flashing on his handheld videogame. However, he didn’t say anything. He looked back down almost immediately, though Akaashi knew he kept an ear on their conversation as he always did.

“Yeah! You can afford to take things easy, man! I like it.” Semi supported. At this, Akaashi raised a brow. 

“What do you mean? I always take things easy, haven’t I?” Their facial expressions say they aren’t exactly agreeing on his statement. Shirabu, Kageyama and Suga shook their heads sympathetically. 

“Honey, no.”

“Nuh-uh.” 

“Dude, you cried last week because you got the actual passing score and not above,” Shirabu supplied from the corner seat, eyes stuck on his own phone. In that phone, @guessmonster’s stream plays.

Akaashi laughed. Out of them, the light blonde second-year was the most grade conscious. Even more so than him. “Wouldn’t you cry too though, Kenjirou?” 

“Oh I definitely would!” The bowl-cut blonde laughed; whether it was on his statement or on the stream, Akaashi doesn’t know. 

“Anyways, I can send you an invite link,” Kageyama supplied, seated between the quiet duo of Shirabu and Kenma, eternally as helpful as he always was. He himself is staring at his phone, possibly watching his favorite Nerve streamer @Sunshine. At Akaashi’s nod of agreement, Oikawa raised a hand to their table. 

“Wait, hold up,” the brunet said, “You’re serious about playing Nerve, Keiji? That’s great!” 

“Uh, why?” he asked. 

“Yeah! You can afford to take risks now! We’ll support you!” Oikawa provided, taking a french fry on his tray. Akaashi leaned back with a frown on his face. 

He isn’t sure if he liked the context of his friends’ support this time around. 

“What do you mean? I do take risks!” he said. 

“You do? Well, I’m sorry, but you’re kiiiinda boring. I just didn’t expect you to understand,” Oikawa replied, taking a sip on Atsumu’s milkshake. “Turns out I was wrong.” 

Akaashi gaped at Oikawa’s reply, utterly speechless. That’s when a ping sounded from Shirabu’s phone, prompting the bowl-cut blonde to tap furiously on Semi’s shoulder and break the silence. 

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god—Guess Monster just got a double dare with White Eagle!” 

“Oh shit, for real?” Semi leaned on to watch, which was then followed by Atsumu, Suga, then Oikawa himself. Akaashi stared hardly on the table in annoyance. 

Is he that boring? What, do they think he can’t handle risks? 

He’ll show them. 

“Holy mother of—is that Ushijima with Guess Monster?!” Suga gasped, which Akaashi can only ignore as he pulled out his phone and clicked on the link Kageyama sent him. The noise from his friends muted as he stared at the screen.

Welcome to Nerve!   
Are you a watcher or a player? 

“Ushijima plays Nerve?!” Atsumu gasped. “I can’t believe this, hoooooly hell.” 

Akaashi ignored the world around him and clicked _Player._ The click redirected him back to his home page, as if an error. Beside him, the only one just as distant from his friends as he was, Kenma elbowed him discreetly and leaned. 

“So it is about Oikawa huh?”

* * *

“What?” 

“So it is about Oikawa, I said,” Kenma said, breaking him out of his trance. Akaashi quickly looked back up and glanced out of the window, seeing the diner where his first dare is to be situated. The car slowed to a stop outside and they both hopped out of Kenma’s convertible.

“I already signed in anyway!” Akaashi reasoned, holding his phone up where the word Nerve flashed in neon pink. “I can’t bail until this ends.” 

Kenma didn’t reply. He locked the car quietly before catching up to him at the diner’s doors. For a while, Kenma looked both sympathetic and concerned, but he knew it was for the best. It was to prove to Oikawa’s face that he wasn’t boring. That he too can take on ‘fun’ dares like downing 12 shots of tequila in 6 minutes, flashing his bare ass to the entire school, giving the football skipper a lap dance... 

Okay, maybe not things like that. Oikawa’s just a risk taker who loves attention! On the other hand, he’s most definitely, without-a-doubt _also_ a risk taker who just _doesn’t_ like that much attention. 

Speaking of which... 

“So, we’re here,” Kenma sighed, pinching his nose before keeping his hands inside his hoodie pocket. The diner was only half empty with the locals, smelling like undeniable fried food. “What’s your first dare?” 

“Oh right,” Akaashi said, looking down on his phone and sliding to the dare screen. His own face stared back at him with the viewer count at the bottom right corner, currently increasing on the low double-digits. At the side, he can see the chats of his viewers until a text of neon yellow flashed on his screen. His own username, @Grey, glowed bright blue at the top. 

Kiss a stranger for five seconds   
$100 

“Oh,” Kenma said, peeking over his shoulder. “Not bad for the first. I heard Atsumu had to go straight to being naked in public on the first dare.” 

Akaashi stared at the daunting words on his screen. Right. It’s just a kiss. “Well, okay. Uh...” 

The two walked around the diner, scanning the customers for some good volunteers. Random old men and women gave them side glances as they passed by. _Too old....too young....has a husband...is on the verge of throwing up..._ everyone was on the extremes. Isn’t there anyone decent here? 

“Just go, it’s just for five seconds,” Kenma whispered beside him, doing nothing but feed onto his anxiety. Accordingly, his phone flashed a “Hurry up” from his viewers. On the game’s defense (and in an effort to calm himself down), a five-second kiss is already a small price to pay for a hundred bucks. 

“Compared to Oikawa’s sexual dares and Atsumu going naked, this is already more than fine,” Kenma tried to reassure him, only to pause and point. “Oh, what about her—?” 

As when they spotted a decent young lady on the side, they walked closer only to reveal a boyfriend. He groaned. The only person left they haven’t surveyed is... 

Him.

“Just kiss that guy,” Kenma pointed to a bald middle-aged man staring out the window, holding his beer pint. Akaashi saw that he was clean-shaved, though the man looked like he had subpar hygiene.

 _It’s hygiene nonetheless!_ he told himself. 

Ah, the things he does for his ego and his pride. Akaashi nodded onto the challenge, taking a deep breath in determination. 

He can do this. If he can’t do this, he can’t do anything else. 

“Wha-“

The moment he took a step, the bearded beer/pint man stood and walked away. It didn’t give them a shock however, as a better choice laid waiting behind the said man. 

“Oh, that guy then.” Kenma gestured to the newly-revealed guy, drinking some iced water as he scrolled through his phone.

The guy looked somewhere near their age—with spiked up gray and black hair and golden eyes reflecting light on the diner’s neon signs. He wore an open-zipped black and white tracksuit with the sleeves rolled up, revealing toned and veiny arms. 

“Fine!” he replied, turning to Kenma with the bravest face he can manage. “I can do that. I can take risks. I can kiss him.” 

“Yeah, fine, just go.” Kenma rolled his eyes and gave him an encouraging push. 

_Okay, Akaashi,_ he pep-talked himself as he gave his phone to Kenma for him to film. _You got this. This man’s the best this diner can offer. You actually got lucky you can kiss someone this hot._

And holy hell, he’s not even exaggerating it much. He watched as the said man reached for his drink, his Adam’s apple bobbing up as he swallowed and in turn, made Akaashi sweat. 

He’s definitely hot. There’s no denying that. 

“I’ll sit here, just go and hurry.” Kenma got into a corner seat to film discreetly. Akaashi inhaled sharply as he approached the man, who then slowly looked up to him with wide eyes as his shadow befell his table. 

“Oh, hey,” the handsome stranger said, smiling. “Hi.” 

“I...” 

_Oh shit, ice breakers, say something! He’s staring at you!_

Akaashi spotted the man’s phone, which is on a wiki page about owls. He also noticed the small owl patch on his white jacket. 

“Uhm...owls?” 

_Nice going there, idiot_ , Akaashi scolded himself. The handsome stranger only nodded in realization. 

“Ah, yeah!” he explained, his voice booming but not too rough, “I work at a zoo with the owls. I have to do my research before I go though.” 

Holy hell, what in the world is he supposed to say to that? _What zoo? What’s his name? Let me kiss you?_ Akaashi looked back at Kenma in support, who only gestured for him to hurry up from his seat, pointing his phone to film them.

“Oh, well. That’s...nice,” Akaashi stuttered, fidgeting with his fingers inside of his jacket pockets. At the awkward silence, he went in mentally and pressed auto-pilot. It immediately redirected onto last year’s biology lesson on birds. “I believe owls are nocturnal birds of prey that are known for their binocular vision, binaural hearing and sharp talons. They’re pretty cool if you ask me.” 

_Why am I such a fucking nerd?!_ He started to scream inside. He can feel Kenma’s glare burning holes at the side of his head, so he only took a deep breath and interrupted whatever it was the handsome stranger is saying. He can only focus how those soft-looking lips moved as he talked. 

“—seemed you know a lot about birds! You’re smart—“ 

It’s this or nothing. 

“Hey.” 

“Yes?” The man looked back up at him with the brightest gold eyes he had ever seen. Akaashi exhaled, summoning every ounce of courage he had on his entire body, and leaned down to meet the man’s soft lips with his own. 

They finally kissed. 

_Oh god, he tastes like mint._

The man doesn’t seem to protest, slowly holding onto Akaashi’s hand that cupped his cheeks. In his best estimate of what five seconds was, Akaashi counted and then pulled away with a small pop. The handsome stranger stared at him with amusement, a small smile gracing his face. 

He looked even better up close.

Before he can say anything more, Akaashi flushed red and gave him his best smile. “Thank you, bye!” 

He quickly hopped away back and slid onto the seat across Kenma, shrinking into his figure in an attempt to hide. 

He just kissed a guy! 

“Holy shit.” 

“The hell, Keiji?” Kenma whispered harshly, sliding him his phone back. “I called ‘done’ like, thrice! You kissed him ten seconds.” 

“Oh shit, I did?” Akaashi gasped, fighting the urge to lick his lips or touch it. It was still fresh with that handsome stranger’s taste, however bizarre it was that he intends to keep it. He snatched his phone from the table and stared at the screen. 

“Yeah! I can make an entire season and six movies from all that footage,” Kenma sighed. The two took a few deep breaths before Akaashi turned back to take another glance at the handsome stranger. 

They paused.

The seat was empty. 

“Where did he go?” he whispered, grabbing a mouthful of the fries Kenma ordered. The pudding head only shrugged. 

“Dunno.” 

_Bing!_

“What’s this?” 

“Just read it.”

Akaashi glanced down on his phone and read the notification. 

_XX Urbane Bank: [Akaashi Keiji] $100 just got wired into your account. Thank you for trusting XX Urbane Bank with your transactions._

“I just got a hundred dollars,” he stated in shock, prodding around the email in curiosity. “The thing’s legit?” 

Kenma looked at him incredulously, chewing fries with a hint of spite. “What, didn’t you play this game for the money? Don’t tell me you played this not knowing its functions?” 

If Akaashi had to answer, no. It’s for his damn ego, actually and also no, he doesn’t exactly had the time to investigate the site. If Oikawa and the others had been playing for a year now and they’re still fine, then he would be fine as well, right? 

Nonetheless, Akaashi chose to keep his mouth shut—knowing Kenma who probably had a snarky remark prepared for anything he had to say. He knew it was still impulsive to get into the dark web on a whim and Kenma doesn’t need to repeat that to him. 

He got lectured on cybersecurity once and he’d rather not go through with that again. 

However, at the back of his head, his friends’ remarks remained like hard-to-remove goo. Oikawa and the others had been slyly hinting him his unexceptional, subpar and boring personality for a while now. It may be a small insignificant comment on their part, but it had been the subject of his self-hatred, anxiety and nightmares for years now. 

It’s about time he steps out of his shell. 

Hell, he’s about to be 18 next week. It really is about time, if not too late. 

Noticing his look of worry, Kenma reached over the table and placed a warm hand over his. “Just look, Keiji. I played this game before. Be careful and keep yourself safe, okay?” 

He leaned back and focused on shoving more fries in his mouth. “And no, that’s not affection, shut up.” 

Akaashi blinked in surprise. “Wait, you played this game before—?” 

A sudden boom of the speakers caught their attention, as well as the happy cheers coming from the other side of the diner. When they turned to look, that’s when Akaashi saw those golden eyes again.

“What the?” Kenma whispered at the sight. 

The handsome stranger hopped up onto one of the diner seats, holding two slender balloons and banging them together along the beat like drum sticks. The man lipsynced along to the song playing from the speakers, hopping from seat to seat on his way to their direction. 

“Uh, Keiji? He’s looking at us—wait no,” Kenma paused. “He’s...” 

“Fuck.” 

“....He’s looking at you.”

Akaashi felt his breath leave his chest. He kept watching the man speechless and breathlessly. 

_Baby, you’re like lightning in a bottle_  
_I can’t let you go now that I got it~_

The handsome stranger grinned when their eyes met, even having the audacity to wink as he lipsynced. Akaashi can only whisper ‘holy shit’ at the sight. If this is the risk Oikawa and Atsumu takes for fun, then he should have played sooner. 

_All I need is to be struck by your electric love~_

The people cheered the handsome stranger on, who is now only a seat away from them. He hopped off and turned back to his diner audience, bowing down pretentiously as the song chorus ended. 

“Thank you! Thank you!” 

_He even sounds sexy,_ Akaashi gulped. _What is this man made of and why is he so pristine?!_

The sudden bing took him out his thoughts, though his phone remained dark. Kenma widened his eyes in realization as the handsome stranger turned to them and brought out his phone. 

“Wait, you’re a player too?” Akaashi asked first, watching the stranger take the seat next to Kenma, who scooted away. 

“Yeah,” he winked. “Call me Bokuto.” 

The handsome stranger, now he knew as Bokuto, showed him his screen that flashed ‘Dare Complete’. At the top, the username and the viewer count appeared. 

@Strix 2.8k views 

“Strix?” he read, “Wood owls?” 

Oh man, he better thank his science teacher for teaching him shit about owls. Who knew it would be responsible for taking him closer to him? 

“Yeah!” Bokuto beamed, grabbing a handful of fries and shoving it into his mouth. Kenma frowned at this action. “You know a lot about them! Do you work with owls too?” 

“Do you want me to?” 

Kenma and Bokuto stared at him in confusion. Akaashi flushed red in embarassment. “I-I mean, no! Yeah, I don’t.” 

Bokuto took a small glance at Kenma, taking some ease off Akaashi’s shoulders for having more than one pair of eyes on him. “So hey! You’re pretty guy’s friend!”

_Did he just call him pretty?!?!_

“Wait, have I seen you before?” 

“Huh?” Kenma raised a brow, keeping his distance. Bokuto absent-mindedly grabbed another fry and chewed. 

“I think I’ve seen you before,” Bokuto hummed. “Do you know someone called black cat?” 

“What?” Akaashi and Kenma chorused. Bokuto paused, looking between the two before laughing sheepishly. 

“Ah! Sorry, must be rude. I guess not then!” Bokuto scratched his cheek softly, making the insides of Akaashi’s gut somersault into the ditches of his stomach.

Okay, so he’s not just hot, he’s also adorable as _fuck._

“Yeah, man,” Kenma replied, making himself comfortable at the very last inch of the seat, far away as much as possible from the stranger. “What’s up with that floor-is-lava singing stunt?” 

“Oh, a dare,” Bokuto said, this time looking straight in Akaashi’s eyes. “My viewers saw you kiss me and dared me to sing to you.” 

He swallowed, feeling slight panic at the realization his brain started to fail its basic function to process his thoughts. “Mhm, yeah.” 

“So, I told you my name,” Bokuto spared no time hitting straight to the point. “Can I get yours?” 

Kenma shook his head slowly at him, a warning alongside a cut gesture by his neck. Akaashi met Bokuto’s golden eyes with his own, his brain numbing into pure instinct. 

“I’m Akaashi Keiji.” 

Kenma lets his head fall and rest on the table with a groan. “Why your full name, you dumbass?” He pulled out his phone. “I’m telling Suga.” 

Bokuto turned to Akaashi, gesturing at his pudding-headed friend with an amused smile. “Does he always tell you what to do?” 

Kenma glared daggers at him at the comment. Bokuto ignored this and smiled, leaning closer to Akaashi and licking his lips, making sure he was watching. The raven-haired man squirmed at his seat at the sight. Then, Bokuto clicked his tongue and tried his name. 

“So Akaashi...Keiji?”

His face flushed even warmer from the sound of his name on the man’s tongue. It was warm and cool, smooth and soft like it was safe coming between the man’s teeth. Like it wouldn’t make fun of him, like he treasures it with most of his being. 

Nobody called him like that before. 

_What a sap,_ he told himself, though this time he felt no shame from that. In fact, in the depths of his honesty, he was enjoying the high. 

“What a nice name, Grey,” Bokuto said, only to be broken by another Bing. This time, both of their phones vibrated, shocking even Kenma. 

They met eyes before they looked at the new game notification. At their silence, Kenma reached over and grabbed Akaashi’s phone. 

Go to the city with him   
$200 

Akaashi grabbed the phone back and cradled it on his palms like a treasure. Kenma frowned at him before they both looked up at Bokuto expectantly.

“I...Only if that’s okay?” Bokuto supplied, smiling at him gently. “It’s 200 bucks.” 

He showed his phone screen and flashed them his dare. 

Take him to the city   
$200 

“Okay, that’s it,” Kenma said, gaining their attention. “I’m really telling the group chat.” 

“Hey, Kenma!” Akaashi frowned, reaching to the other’s phone to no avail. Kenma slammed a hand to block his face. Bokuto only laughed and waved at him. 

“I guess I’ll be outside,” he said, staring at him from head to toe. Akaashi shivered at the feeling. “Be out in five minutes if you’re in, Akaashi.” 

Oh boy, hearing his name from his mouth feels like heaven. He watched as the man disappeared out the diner and onto the parking lot, where he just noticed the sun had already set. The lights outside shone onto a nice motorbike, which Bokuto approached. 

Now, he was curious what riding a man—a motorbike, rather—felt like. 

His phone buzzed on a video chat call. He slid accept, huffing at Kenma who started it. In a few seconds, the entire squad entered the chat one by one, their faces shocked. 

_“Akaashi!”_ Suga called, walking along the sidewalks possibly on his way home. Beside him, Daichi’s frame can be side walking with him. “ _You kissed a guy?! Is that for real?”_

“ _No shit!_ ” Atsumu provided, “ _I’m watching his stream earlier. Y’er kid got guts! He makes out real good._ ” 

“You guys,” Kenma grumbled to himself before turning to the call. “Okay, so the guy just got a dare to take Keiji to the city.” 

“ _Oh?_ ” It’s Shirabu’s turn to exclaim. “ _What’s his username?_ ” 

“Guys, he’s called Strix,” Akaashi said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why’re you guys even here?” 

“ _We were wondering why you two didn’t come,_ ” Shirabu’s voice supplied, his camera turned off. Akaashi assumed he must have been watching @guessmonster’s streams again.

“Come where?”

 _“Semi!!!”_

Then, Semi’s panel appeared. The man’s view figured onto his face, with the other members of his band now visible at the background walking along some sidewalk outside the studio. Now that he noticed, it seemed everyone was on their way to Atsumu’s apartment—

Oh, the party at the Miyas! 

_SHIT._

“ _Hi idiots,_ ” Semi mused, “ _I was watching at the last second! Where did you learn to kiss like that, baby Kei?_ ” 

His cheeks flushed red at the reminder. Did he really kiss him good? Was it really too shocking? 

“Sems? Hey, Sems. Keiji just got his second dare,” Kenma said, finishing the rest of the fries and taking a large gulp of ice water. “Besides, where's Oikawa?”

“ _He's doing dares. He and Iwa must already be at Atsumu’s,_ ” Suga said. “ _What's Keiji's dare? I haven’t been keeping up.”_

“He’s going to the city with the guy,” Kenma’s casual comment made the blonde choke on his drink. 

“ _What? Already?!”_

 _“I know right,”_ Atsumu laughed, pausing in his beer pong with his football pals Kita and Suna. “ _I think the viewers chose Keiji and mystery boy to be the couple of the night!_ ” 

_Is that a thing?_ Akaashi mouthed as he looked up at Kenma in confusion. At the other side of the table, Kenma shook his head. 

“ _It’s not like he can bail though,_ ” Suga said, busy going around the trees and alleys to Atsumu’s house, now showing he had beer cans held to his chest. 

“ _I know, Suga. It’s just,_ ” Semi sighed, plopping onto the couch as he and his band arrived at the Miya’s. Akaashi can see a blue hoodie straining behind Semi, only to realize he actually sat on Shirabu’s lap. “ _I don’t like that you’re being so reckless today, Keiji darling._ ” 

“Keiji darling?” he laughed bitterly. He placed the phone down on the table and crossed his arms. “Since when am I “Keiji darling”?” 

Though his friends may not have heard, Kenma was there to glare at him instead. Semi continued. “ _You need to be careful with strangers, Oikawa told you that, right?”_

Akaashi scoffed, whispering under his breath. “Says the guy who grinds down every single guy at school for fun.” 

“Oh my god, Keiji,” Kenma groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose again. Akaashi looked at his bestfriend’s eyes and remembered Bokuto’s words from earlier. 

_Does he always tell you what to do?_

_Do they really?_ he had to think back. Akaashi looked back at his phone, seeing his friends’ faces busy with the party they were in. Do they always tell him what to do? 

“I could use 200 bucks, Ken.” 

His answer must have been made louder than intended, as gasps followed both in front of him and at his phone. 

“ _No, Keiji, you’re not going to the city,”_ Shirabu said, his camera turning back on. 

“ _Are you serious?”_ Suga asked, half amused and half shocked. 

“ _Huh_ ,” Atsumu only hummed, focusing on beer pong. 

“ _We do have afternoon classes tomorrow Saturday.._.” Suga replied, unsure of what side to take.

 _That’s tough,_ Akaashi thought, _coming from the guy who is about to distribute beer at a party._

Akaashi inhaled sharply at the comments and massaged his temples before bringing himself together to answer. 

“It’s my night, guys, okay?” he said, grabbing his phone and meeting the squad. “You can’t always tell me what I can and cannot do.” 

He pressed onto the red ‘end call’ icon before any of them can reply. Kenma gasped at this, with the guys’ replies of shock coming from his phone. Akaashi stood, avoiding the arms reaching for him. 

“Keiji—“ 

He was out of the door, not letting his bestfriend finish. There are a lot of factors that brought him out to the diner parking lot, and one of them is definitely how this guy knew exactly which buttons to press. 

“Bokuto-san.” 

He was met with a pleasant smile. 

“I’m in.” 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll try to update every day. Hit subscribe and let me know if you liked it! Enjoy reading, luvluvs!
> 
> Edit 12/12/2020: The above statement from July is clownery. I’m so fucking sorry.


	2. You Ever Been A Degenerate?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: If the first two lines of text appear as boxes, those are just the chapter names. I know, because I have an android. And yes, I want to be aesthetic. Enjoy reading, luvluvs!

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖜𝖔  
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐀 𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞?

There are a lot of factors that brought him out to the diner parking lot, and one of them is definitely how this guy knew exactly which buttons to press. The other? His friends arranged those buttons to perfectly align as well. 

“Bokuto-san,” he called. “I’m in.” 

He was met with a pleasant smile. Bokuto leaned his elbows to the front of his motorbike, his back arching onto the seat to show his perfect, round ass. They both flustered pink at the unintentional show. 

“So, uh, your friend didn't mind?”

“Oh, he did.” Akaashi fidgeted with his fingers, taking a few steps closer. The blue of the neon LEDs crowned Bokuto a nice dreamy halo, perfectly symbolic of his angelic presence suddenly barging into Akaashi's life like he was a messenger and Akaashi a damn prophet. “I got to warn you that I...”

“Yes?”

Why is he so chill? So handsome? Relaxed? _Why is this man everything he never was and wished to be?_ Wished to have, perhaps? 

“I'm...not a very good partner with these dare things,” he explained, “It's my first night of Nerve, and I only play for fun and not for competition and stuff like that.”

Bokuto tilted his head to the side, blinking at him. Awkward silence reigned over. 

“You...you should check out my friends, though! They're hardcore players and they're on the leaderboards every week.” Akaashi eyed the man gently, witnessing the sharpness of his jawline prominent on the harsh lighting directly ahead. 

Bokuto reached onto the backseat and grabbed the free helmet, holding it up to him. “But the viewers want me to go out with you.”

His heart may or may not have exploded in his chest. _Go out with him?_ Are those really the best choice of words right now? His guts gave in to the sensation ofーwhat was it called? Butterflies? 

_God damn it, Bokuto-san. At this rate, you're going to shoot me with a pistol and I'll still thank your aim._ Who is this guy and why does he have a heavy impact on him? 

Akaashi finally nodded, placing a hand over Bokuto's, holding the helmet but not grabbing it quiet yet. Both men flushed hot pink at the warm, intimate contact. 

_Damn, they're just holding hands for fuck's sake!_ Akaashi cleared his throat and went back to his state of mind. 

“The moment I feel uncomfortable, I'm out.”

Bokuto smiled at him, eyebrows relaxing in deep relief. Akaashi felt tingles up his spine at the thought that the handsome stranger wanted him to stay. “Fine by me, Akaashi.”

He finally grabbed the helmet and walked past the guy, using his shoulders as leverage as he swung a leg over and took the backseat. Bokuto himself wore his helmet on and started the engine, the revving Akaashi hadn't heard in years igniting some old nostalgic memories from when he himself had his bike. He crashed it. 

“You...you can hold on to me.”

“H-huh?”

Bokuto's laugh was like music to his ears. “I said, you can hold on to me! You might fall, Akaashi! I can't catch you because I'm driving!”

Akaashi jumped, the voice coming closer for the first time that night. Though he was the one at the back and that the handsome guy's voice is muffled by the helmet, it was the closest he had been with another human being in, what? Three years? 

“Ah, right.” Akaashi cannot deny the slight tremble of his hands as he wrapped his arms on the other man's torso. Through the trainers and the thin shirt he wore inside, Akaashi can feel the toughness and overall shape of the man's abs. He doesn't even see it with his own eyes but from what he can feel, the man is built like a Greek god. 

Well, _maybe_ not that buff. That's too disproportionate. Maybe a really handsome athlete? Does he even play any sports? Why does he work out? 

Bokuto pressed 'accept' on the phone before folding the motorcycle side stand away. 

“Hold on, 'kaashi!”

He tightened his grip even more, thanking the heavens for the contact. 

They rolled out of the parking lot in a smooth vroom. The road was dark and lit by the dim downtown lights, but with the bridge and the awaiting city ahead glittering like an oasis in a thirsty desert, the night appeared to him like all stars fell down from the sky and instead found solace down on Earth. That's how the skyline had looked to him from where he was peeking, past a handsome stranger's broad shoulders. 

With his cheek pressed on his shoulders, and the warmth enveloping from his back, Bokuto himself haven't felt more alive than he did now. He caught of whiff of the night that smelled like its usual humidity and sweat, or perhaps that was just his helmet, but there was a new undertone full of life and excitement that even kept his cells standing on edge at the anticipation. Akaashi Keiji felt like the warmth he was deprived of all his life. 

Meanwhile, Akaashi marvelled at the sight of the city bridge as viewed from the middle. When he took taxis and cabs to get to the city, he can never really look up and see the beams from the bottom. Now that the wind was blowing on his face, on a roofless vehicle approaching the heart of the city, he can only look up and around and take in the sight raw. 

“Still comfy? You okay?”

“Yes, Bokuto-san,” he said breathlessly. The city at the other end of the bridge sat bright and twinkling, as if it was welcoming him every single day of his life. “I'm more than okay.”

“Glad to hear that!” They breezed and swung past some lagging cabs and taxis, Bokuto's driving swift and breezy like it was everything he had done since he was born. If he didn't have a helmet, Akaashi swore he would kill to see the wind blow the handsome stranger's gray hair back. He wanted to take in the scent of his shampoo as they rode to the city, the scent mixing in with his own as well as the humidity of the evening. He wanted to see how crisp it would have felt on his skin. 

He turned back to the song Bokuto lipsynced for him earlier, Electric Love. What's the chorus again? _Lightning in a bottle, huh?_

Akaashi smiled, relishing in the feeling of the handsome stranger between his arms. This man is a lightningーno, the _entire_ fucking thunderstormーin a bottle, who still remained gentle and hard like a 3pm afterschool rain. He was everything all in one. 

The buildings were taller than how they looked from his apartment window, with him wilding at the bizarre feeling of shrinking when they both sat between towers and towers of business buildings, malls and condominiums. The traffic was easy the more they got in, and before he knew it, they reached the roadside just across a luxury clothing store. Bokuto parked on the side, taking off his helmet and even offering a hand to help him hop off.

Okay, so he's good looking, has a great body, has top-notch self-confidence, and he's even a gentleman? _This guy really is too good to be true, isn't he?_ He must be dreaming. 

Either that, or he just grew up with assholes. That's a possibility too. 

“Ah, it's okay, I got it, thank you.” He tried his best to hide his satisfied smile as he returned the helmet to its owner. 

_Woah, so this is how the city smelled like at night?_

“We're here, Akaashi,” Bokuto said, staring at him. With that, both of their phones bing-ed at the notification of their 200 bucks incoming. Akaashi can't help but jump in delight. 

“I got it!”

He was jumping and biting onto his nails before he realized, showing his phone screen to the other man, who nodded. 

“Yeah! It did, yeah.” They met eyes one more time and exchanged pleasant smiles. Akaashi doused more onto the man's face, trying his best to commit every curve and detail to memory. Those gold eyes reflective of any light that comes, his gelled hair messed from the helmet and falling onto adorable streaks on his forehead, his neck wet and shiny with droplets of sweat, that musky cologne...

He must be the star that came down on Earth. This is the same man who he just kissed a few minutes ago, or was it an hour already? What time is it? 

Akaashi sighed. 

The sun had set, and he found himself at the city. At this rate, he might wake up tomorrow and end up married. That's how fast he's evolving. 

So, this is how it felt to be a degenerate. This is how it felt to do irrational decisions, like Atsumu and Oikawa. 

_Bing!_

It was a single sound this time. Their staring daze was broken when Bokuto jumped at the notification and looked at his phone. 

“So this is goodbye, huh?” he asked sheepishly. Akaashi ignored the small pang on his chest and forced a smile. “Are...are you going to be okay? Do you need me to call you a cab?” 

“Oh, no, no!” Akaashi's instinct rush up to his physical disadvantage and emotional super-mega-massive suffering. “I'll be okay! I know how to call a cab.”

“Oh, okay!” Bokuto smiled, gesturing to the luxury store just across the street from them. “I guess I'll go in then.”

“Yeah! Take care!”

As he watched the man's back as he crossed the street and disappeared onto the boutique's revolving doors, Akaashi let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

So that's it, huh? He really was too good to be true. 

He tapped his phone onto his open palm, having a slight of mind to call Kenma over and pick him up. Ah, well. He can enjoy the city very much, with or without Kenma, with or without Bokuto. 

He's not too sure about that last part though. 

_Bing!_

He scrambled as he accidentally tossed the phone in shock. He trained his eyes on the neon pink text and almost choked on his own spit. 

_Try this on._  
_$2,500_

“Oh my god,” he whispered to himself before looking at the revolving doors Bokuto just disappeared from. The heavens just heard its loyal prophet's silent prayer after all. 

Akaashi crossed the street carefully. Looks like the night was far from over. 

* * *

“Yo, is that Oikawa?” Hanamaki tapped him furiously, forcing them to park to the roadside by the mall square. Matsukawa peeked his head out, lowered down his sunglasses, and chuckled at the sight. 

“Holy shit.”

“Hey, man! Is that you?” Hanamaki and Matsukawa waved. The brunet glanced at them and waved, making sure to strut the red-bottom heels and the black dress. 

“Hey~! What's up, are you on your way to Atsumu's?” Oikawa took out his lollipop, using the fur coat to tap Hanamaki on the face. The cherry blonde only pushed him away playfully. “Can I tag along?” 

“Dude, is this a dare or are you really posing as a hooker now?” Matsukawa unlocked the backseat and the brunette jumped in. “God, you even smelled like one.” 

“Yup, it's a $1000 dare! My watchers know what I like!” Oikawa sucked on his cherry lollipop as they started to drive back to Atsumu's. “You two watching? Who's your favorite player now, Makki~?” 

Hanamaki snorted. “Oh, we were watching. I was about to say you but...” 

Oikawa looked up at the cherry blonde man, his smile falling from his face. He leaned to the passenger seat and blinked at Hanamaki's phone screen. 

_@Grey 5.7k views_

“Is that Akaashi?” 

“Yep! You got him in Nerve? The kid's a favorite in the local chats!” Hanamaki and Matsukawa laughed, while Oikawa busied himself watching the live feed from Keiji's dare. Oikawa watched as Akaashi held onto another player's jacket tightly as they drove on the city bridge. Never did Oikawa see Akaashi ride another motorcycle after the traumatic crashing incident years ago. If he’s riding there, he must be forced of some sort! 

Oh no, it's his fault, isn't it?

He quickly dialed Atsumu's phone, his fingers trembling with the shock and worry. Maybe he should have bitten his tongue that morning instead of speaking out. 

_Ah, Keiji! What are you doing?_

“ _Hey, 'sup?_ ” Atsumu answered, voice starting to slur. “ _Where the fuck were ‘ya?_ ” 

“I'm on my way. You're drunk already?” Oikawa groaned. “Is Kenma there?”

“ _Nope!_ ”

“Tch. I'll be there in—“

He almost threw his phone out of the window when it died. Great timing as ever! 

_Fuck_.

* * *

The luxury suit store was—in lack of a better general adjective—sparkly. Akaashi felt like a beggar just standing at the entrance.

The boutique was filled with sleek and stylish mannequins that are too disproportionate for reality, along with price tags that made the Bermuda Triangle make more sense than it did—but still stylish nonetheless. The soft brown carpeting under his feet was notably luxurious and well-cleaned, too. He almost felt bad for barging in with dirty sneakers instead of his stylishest loafers...if he even had one.

“Yes, madam. Very well, the dry clean will be delivered to your estate by Tuesday,” one of the store clerks explained to a well-dressed lady as he approached. When the woman walked away, Akaashi took her place by the counter. 

“Uhm, excuse me?” 

Akaashi felt the harsh judgmental gaze strain on his being from head to toe. It was way different than when Bokuto eyed him earlier. 

“Yes, sir?” The store clerk forced a smile. “How may I help you?” 

Ah, god. That's what Bokuto first words to him were! Akaashi pressed onto his phone and showed it to the clerk. 

“Uh, can you help me find this suit?” 

The store clerk raised a brow at his screen. “Uhm, someone's calling.” 

“Ah!” He quickly pulled away and stared at the Caller ID. 

_Semi Eita is calling..._

It must be a mistake, the senior hates calling people. He quickly slid to the red icon, bringing back the screen and showed it to the clerk. The clerk remained unconvinced, eyes judgmental as ever. However, Akaashi can hear the heaven's gate open and the clerk stood back up.

“Fourth floor, showroom B,” he replied before adding an afterthought, “...sir.”

“Thank you!”

The moment he reached the said floor, it was clear he underestimated the store's size. Mannequins upon mannequins surrounded each wall wearing some of the most overpriced luxury clothing he had ever seen. There were suits and ties he could only dream of wearing, which all had prices he can only dream of spending. 

He looked back at his phone. It was a black and gray three-piece designer with a sleek black tie and light vest. Akaashi widened his eyes at the sudden flash in his screen—6:59. 

_A timer?!_

“Holy....okay, okay, I got this.” It took him a few more trips until he spotted the exact mannequin with the suit. He hesitantly reached over and traced the fabric with the tips of his fingers, sliding down to the buttons that kept the coat on. 

He had never worn a three-piece designer before. The only formal attire he had ever worn was on homecoming, and even that only had a white button up and some cheap suspenders. He started to unbutton the suit when the clacking of heels brought him back to his senses. 

“Please don’t undress the mannequin.” 

“Ah!” He jumped, facing the saleslady who eyed him curiously. She flashed a tight-lipped smile to him before looking back at the suit. “I’m sorry...?” 

“Would...you like to try it on?” 

Akaashi looked at his phone—5:37. He nodded furiously, making the saleslady smile once more. He didn’t miss the inquiry in her gaze. “Let me see if I can find it in your size.” 

“Thank you!” he called. “Can you please hurry up? I’m late! For a....for a party!” 

Okay, technically, he didn’t lie. He was invited to Atsumu’s party and it wasn’t over yet. The saleslady looked back at him once more before disappearing.

“Cute.” When she came back, she held up the suit and guided him to a dressing room. “If there’s anything you might need, please tell me.” 

“Yes! Thank you!” He quickly shut the curtains to the saleslady’s face and placed his phone down, pulling his shirt over his head. The timer blinked back at him—0:49. 

@Grey 7.9k views 

  
Viewer Chat//  
@knhaknri30: sidebet he doesn’t know how to tie a tie   
@shrfkyk72: oh nice abs daddy   
@szmdkao26: @Strix is hitting this? omg so jealous  
@tstskwsh84: sidebet he has owl briefs  
@ymtsrku69: goddamn those thighs tho omg   
@shrfkyk72: this is his best angle 

He doesn’t bother for a belt after wearing the slacks. His hands shook as he slipped the inner shirt and the vest over, fumbling over the black tie while summoning all the knowledge he had in his 19 years on how to tie a Windsor knot. He slipped the overcoat just in time as the timer hit zero. He grabbed his phone and stepped out of the dressing booth. 

“I’m done!” he called out to his viewers, only watching his own face staring back at him and the timer blinking 00:00. 

He clicked at the frozen screen in frustration, plopping down to the velvet couch in front of him. He went and rested his left ankle on his knee. The moment he looked up, his own reflection stared back at him at the full-length mirror. 

He looked regal. 

“Akaashi?” 

He jumped at the sudden voice, turning to the door to see the most gorgeous man to ever walk the planet. 

“Bokuto-san!” 

Bokuto’s lips slowly formed into a smile, pushing his hands to the pockets of his black slacks. Donning his black three-piece proudly, he eyed Akaashi up and down that successfully pinned the raven to the chair.

“Do you know what we’re supposed to do now?” he asked, cheeks heating up at the eyes baring on him. 

“Hm, the watchers would like me to complete your ensemble, monsieur.” Bokuto winked, gesturing to his sneakers before looking back up to his eyes. 

Akaashi then gulped, feeling the heat just from the stare and the way the suit hugged Bokuto’s body in just the right places. Compared to his black and gray plain set, @Strix had his suit in light plaid gray, complete with a chained suit brooch and a small enamel flower pin. The black double-breasted vest then emphasized the shape of the man’s small waist in proportion to his wide shoulders and biceps. Akaashi swallowed up the pooling drool that almost escaped his lips. 

When he thought that the handsome stranger would look really stunning when he felt the man’s abs, it turns out he would look even more ethereal not naked, but instead in luxury designer. 

“You look ravishing, Keiji.” 

He returned that impressed smirk with his own. He took the chance to raise a brow and own the velvet chair like it was his throne. Tonight, he’ll forget he was ever meek. 

“So I’m Keiji now huh?” 

Bokuto walked over and stared at the mirror with him. 

“My liege,” Bokuto mused, standing behind the chair and placing his hands above his head, holding an imaginary crown. Akaashi let out his first genuine laugh since he beat Kenma in Mario Kart. 

* * *

The pudding head frowned when his handheld finally gave in to the low battery. In a short moment of dread and silence in his car, he placed his PSP back to his hoodie pocket only to feel his phone vibrate inside. He pulled it out and stuck it to his phone holder, turning on the engine and making his way out of the parking lot. 

He made a few quick presses until he ended up on @Grey’s live feed. 

“ _Stunning as ever, my liege,_ ” a voice that must have belonged to that gray-haired toothbrush-looking french fry glutton whispered behind the camera. Akaashi went into full view, dressed in expensive designer and looking down at the shoe he was just worn. 

Kenma blinked. Akaashi looked polished as _fuck_. 

“ _And how much will that be?_ ” his bestfriend asked the man, brushing a finger past his smirking lips. Bokuto let out a low chuckle 

“ _That would be $900 per pair, sir._ ” A gloved hand held up the price tags to the screen, resulting in a few more dozen comments on the feed. Kenma frowned at the price. He can buy a dozen games with that budget. 

“ _In that case, I’ll take two,_ ” Akaashi said, voice the most confident and smug Kenma had heard it in. “ _One for the city and one for Sapporo._ ” 

The two broke out into laughter as Kenma stopped at the red light and tapped his steering wheel in thought. He knew Oikawa and the others kept giving him shit about his negativity, but he trusted his gut feelings for a reason. 

“ _Excellent choice, my liege.”_

_“You got to keep going with that ‘liege’ thing now?”_

_“Okay fine then, Keiji. You look like an entire world in a drop. There, I said it.”_

_“B-Bokuto-san!”_

As the viewer chats exploded with hearts and satisfied watchers, Kenma grabbed the phone and quickly typed out a number to text. There’s something fishy about that @Strix guy, he knew it.

* * *

“Does he ever get more sappier than that? He never really matured, did he?” 

A salesman raised a brow to the side, seeing another man with a bad hair job glancing past the half wall to peek at the two customers trying out shoes.

The stranger was dressed in a bomber jacket and denim jeans; he grimaced at the sight. He was about to tell the young man to leave the store when he saw the boutique bags hanging on the man’s hand. 

_Looks like he can afford it,_ the salesman thought. He watched as the tall man turned around and rushed away. 

He then turned to the two customers who were trying on shoes. It looks like they were some sort of couple. 

* * *

Akaashi gave himself and Bokuto one more glance over at the full length before they faced each other. Bokuto gave him back his phone and temporarily ended the dare stream. At their close proximity in an effort to fit in the reflection, Akaashi’s head is a few inches away from Bokuto’s neck. He can smell the city in him, the scent blending in with the brand new clothes and the musk. 

“Hey, Keiji,” Bokuto called. Akaashi felt a hand brush lightly up his arms, and before he knew it, Bokuto stepped away slightly to meet his eyes. “I’m not kidding.” 

“Kidding where?” 

The man’s golden eyes looked deep into his. 

“You really looked good,” Bokuto said loud enough only for him to hear. “I could even buy this for you if I can.” 

His heart slammed directly into his ribcage, and in that moment of elation, he smiled and cupped the man’s soft cheeks onto his palm. This man is really made of something else. “You should see yourself too, Bokuto-san.” 

At that, they both stared at their reflections. Bokuto brushed a hand through his hair accompanying his sigh. “This thing is worth more than my apartment.” 

He nodded in understanding, laughing sheepishly. “I can relate to that.” 

Bokuto then turned back to him. “So...I’ll see you downstairs?” 

“Yeah! Yeah, sure!” 

The man lingered for a few more seconds before he finally broke away, disappearing into the curtains of the dressing room. Akaashi let out a flustered smile before walking back to his own room. 

Which was empty. 

“What the?” He crouched down and looked under and around the small stool, finding nothing but the carpeting. He pushed himself back up and went to the next room over, only to find it just as empty as the previous one. 

_Shit_. 

He walked back out to slam onto Bokuto’s chest. 

“Hey! Have you seen my stuff?” Bokuto asked, breathing heavily. “Did the saleslady take it or...?” 

“I lost mine too,” he said, wiping a forming bead of sweat on his brow. His heart beat in his chest hard but this time for a different reason; his jeans and his shirt is gone, and he even kept his wallet and his keys at the pockets! What will he do? 

_Holy fuck._

The only thing he had with him is his phone. Bokuto paced around the dressing room in distress, looking past the velvet settees and the other dressing rooms. 

“They’re all empty, what the hell?” Bokuto said, walking to him pouting with watery eyes. “Did you take my clothes Keiji? Please give them back, I’m going to actually cry—my bike keys are gone!” 

“No! Why would I? My stuff’s gone too,” Akaashi replied, staring at his phone and debating on calling his friends or perhaps emergency services. “Shit. This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening...” 

If he only rejected the first time, if he remained with Kenma, if he just ended it outside the boutique— _oh no, no, no._

Bokuto sighed, massaging his temples. That’s when their phones bing-ed on a new notification. They stared at it in anticipation, and then disbelief. 

_Leave the store_  
_Timer: 1:59_  
_$2,500_

Akaashi felt his breath stop in his larynx. 

_No._

Bokuto looked up at him and grabbed his wrist. “We can make a run for it!” 

He quickly pulled his wrist back and stared at the man. “No, Bokuto-san! I’m not shoplifting!” 

“Akaashi, we don’t have a choice!” Bokuto looked at him with wide eyes, his palm open and ready for him to take. The other held the curtains open, ready for the impromptu heist he never planned. 

_Think, Akaashi, think!_

The raven looked back at his phone and stared at the daunting words of their dare. The timer counted down menacingly in neon yellow, with the thousand-dollar reward in pink.

Then, an idea formed in his head.

He looked up at the man, who tilted his head at him in inquiry. 

“Technically, it says we only have to leave the store.” 

Bokuto blinked once. 

Twice. 

Then he gasped in amusement, his lips straining up on an unbelieving smile. “Oh my god, Akaashi...” 

He flushed in embarrassment at his own reaction. “Let’s just do it.” 

Bokuto took a deep breath staring him down before shrugging the plaid coat off his shoulders, not breaking their eye contact.

“Got it, Keiji.” 

This is way too awkwardly erotic for his liking, but at least he’s not shoplifting, right? 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Liking it so far? I’m actually having fun writing this! Thank you for the comments and the kudos! If there’s anything like liked please let me know.


	3. I Met This Jerk Called You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo this isn’t the complete chapter three. I unfortunately cannot write it completely because I got sick. I’ll have a doctor’s appointment today and hopefully it’s not something too...bad. Anyways, I’ll type the rest this afternoon! Enjoy, luvluvs!

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊  
𝐈 𝐌𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐤 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮

“Hey, milkboy.”

Kageyama looked up with a frown, grimacing at the smell of beer from Semi's breath. He crossed his legs up on the wood chair he perched himself on, avidly avoiding the crowd that consisted mostly of sweaty football players and... 

“Atsumu's wilding!”

“Shut up, that's Osamu.”

“What?! Who spiked Osamu's drink?! Is it you, Suna?”

“Don't look at me please.” 

Kageyama rolled his eyes. _Just sweaty people in general._ He kept his place near the apartment door, safe and easy to escape once people ignored him enough. At this noise, he can't really understand his “good friend” Hinata’s stream.

“What's up, Semi?”

“Rude...” Semi said, tapping on his pockets. “Have you seen my phone somewhere?”

He only shrugged, keeping his eyes on @Sunshine's stream. Semi replied to him with a sigh before eventually disappearing onto the crowd of sweaty people. The door suddenly opens to a certain pudding head, who returned his shock gaze with one of surprise. 

“Why are you behind the door...?” Kenma asked, shrugging his hoodie off his head. “You know what? That’s fair. I understand.” 

“Where’s Keiji?” Kageyama asked absent-mindedly, just as Kenma walked inside. The pudding head stared at him for a few seconds. 

“Why don’t you watch @Grey to know?” 

Just as Kenma paused, a large door opens to their right and out comes a very disgruntled Oikawa dressed in... _drag_. 

“What the?” Kageyama widened his eyes at this, prompting Oikawa to look up the phone he wished bloody murder on. There was a shutter sound coming from Suna’s general direction, though nobody questioned it. 

“Hey, there’s my phone!” Semi reappeared, this time with a drink. He snatched his phone back much to the brunet’s chagrin. “Oikawa! I didn’t know you’ve already arrived, man.” 

“Tch,” the man said, taking off the dress right there in the middle of the walkway. He pushed the straps off his shoulders in front of the men. “Keiji darling’s not answering calls.” 

“DUDE!” Semi choked, pushing Oikawa back inside the room he just stepped out of. “Don’t just strip in front of us!” 

“Have any of you seen Iwa-chan?” he asked from the inside, completely unbothered. Kageyama guessed he already drank a few.

As if on cue, the said boyfriend appeared, the look on his eyes making even Kageyama straighten up on his seat. 

“Is he there?” Iwaizumi asked Semi, who just tapped him on the shoulder and left. He knocked slowly and Kageyama took it his place to find another spot. 

He isn’t particularly fond of a distressed Oikawa and jealous Iwaizumi combined together. Most of the time, it ended up ruining the idea of sex for him. 

* * *

The boutique is cold.

The air conditioning seeped from his skin straight to his bones, his hand splayed over his chest in an attempt to cover what it can. In front of him, there his partner-in-crime was—tiptoeing behind one mannequin to the other, wearing nothing but black boxers and his shoes.

As if the boutique’s low temperature ventilation isn’t enough to make his knees weak, Bokuto held onto his hand tightly as he led the way.

Without the motorcycle and the designer gloves, he can feel the distinct roughness of his palm against his.

For his eyes, the muscles on Bokuto’s wide shoulder blades moved as his arms swayed, and he can only imagine what the front would look. 

He never believed it when Suga teased him about him being a closet pervert, but he sure as hell agreed on it now. When Bokuto turned to face him for a few quick seconds every once in a while, Akaashi tried his best to keep his eyes up at the man’s golden eyes. Yet, he can still catch a sight of the ripped abs and round pecs. It wasn’t exactly perfect like the models in those underwear magazines he saw in Oikawa’s room, but it was muscular and formed well enough that the man obviously kept his body on check. 

“Hey, ‘kaashi!” Bokuto called, reaching up to him and pulling him. He almost slammed his face on the chest he was just drooling at. Before he could reply, a finger laid flat on his lips and an arm wrapped around his waist.

In that moment, he was enveloped in Bokuto’s gentle warmth and nothing else—skin to skin. The man in question kept his hands on him as he peeked out to the hallway, eyes scanning the walkpath just before sighing. 

“Nice, she’s gone. We almost got seen,” Bokuto stated, looking back down at him. “Coast is clea—oh.” 

The two remained frozen, Bokuto’s eyes widening slowly when he realized where his hands ended up. He quickly released Akaashi, and Akaashi doesn’t know whether to be thankful or not. 

Bokuto stepped back and gasped at himself, looking at his hands like they had a mind of their own. 

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m not a pervert, I promise!” he whispered, pressing his hands together in apology. 

_Oh, but I am._

“I won’t do it again, Kei—Akaash—Grey!” 

_Oh, you wouldn’t?_

Akaashi was about to say something reciprocating the apology, stepping closer to reach for the (adorable) panicking man, when a footsteps approached on the showroom across theirs. They unknowingly stepped out of the half-wall they were hiding at. Bokuto and Akaashi slowly turned their heads to the right, their almost-naked bodies completely in display for the rich businessman staring at them with slacked jaw. 

“I—“ 

“...”

“We’re so sorry!” Akaashi was the first one to move; grabbing Bokuto’s wrist this time and running down the hallway. Bokuto eventually got his feet back in action and they ran until they reached the elevator. 

“Come on, _come on...!_ ” Bokuto pleaded, pressing the down elevator button. When Akaashi turned to look back, the rich man remained at the other end of the hallway staring at them speechlessly. They subconsciously laid flat against the elevator doors that soon opened and took them in. 

He flinched when his back pushed against the elevator walls.

If the boutique was cold, then the elevator was god-forbidden Antarctica. Akaashi gulped nervously at his own face staring back at him on his side; the elevator full of mirrors that only revealed just how naked they were against the people who spend $2,500 on a plain black bowtie. 

“...”

The two stood in awkward silence, relishing on the crappy elevator music. At this, Akaashi took a few glances at his own reflection and fixed as much as he could of his messy hair. His face fortunately didn’t oil too much, but he was sure he looked just as greasy from sweating all day. Small bags also carried his grayish blue eyes, result of a few dozen all-nighters he pushed to keep his grades afloat. He then noticed a few mosquito bites and scratch scars decorating his chest and his legs; he really looked like a lowlife—one lost in the rich-men suburbs. 

Meanwhile, Bokuto stood beside him. Compared to him, the man had a slightly tanner tone on his skin. He had the muscles and the veiny arms complete for a hunk; he had seen similar bodies on Atsumu, Kita, Suna and Ushijima when they changed onto football gear at the lockers. What makes Bokuto’s body appealing is that he saw similar small details and scars decorating his back and his chest. 

Never had he seen a body so similar yet so different from him, and he loved it. 

“Hmm?” Bokuto suddenly turned to face him, making him tear away his gaze immediately. Just how many times had he checked the guy out already? 

Now that they were standing side by side, Akaashi’s shoulders touched with Bokuto’s, same as their elbows and their shoes. The slightest contact made every single hair on his body stand on end. 

And the nakedness isn’t helping, either. 

“So, uh,” Bokuto broke the silence, watching the elevator floor number go from four to three. “You feeling great?” 

Setting aside the weird feeling of having the company of such marvelous man, he’d say no. “I just lost my month allowance and my house keys.” 

Despite his boldness, Bokuto laughed. The sound was like a set of hands patting his tense shoulders down, easing off the tension of the lift. He himself laughed awkwardly along. 

“Yeah, we’re fucked.” They shared an awkward smile, holding the eye contact for a few more seconds until the floor number went from three to two. 

_Ding!_

_Oh boy,_ Akaashi held his breath. “We most definitely are.” 

The doors open to a middle-aged couple, happily engaging in their conversation until their eyes landed on the half-naked men in the elevator. The two stopped in their tracks, just as speechless as the man earlier. 

“...” 

“...” 

Oh no. 

“...Okay, let’s go!”

Bokuto scanned the three people surrounding him before grabbing Akaashi and pushing past the two. In that moment, it was all or nothing. 

“Just keep running, Akaashi!” 

_Fuck it,_ Akaashi thought, _they’re going to be seen anyway._

The two jogged to the nearby escalator, mumbling half-meant apologies to the rich people they merely pushed aside. Bokuto laughed as he jumped the last few steps down, looking back up and holding a hand up to him. 

“Jump!” Akaashi saw that pumped-up smile and knew better than to see it more. He let out a small shriek as he hopped off, reaching onto Bokuto’s hands to helped him regain his balance before they ran again. 

At the first floor, they can feel all eyes on them now. Some normal-looking civilians held up their phones to film them; they must be their watchers. The regular customers and the boutique staff stared at them incredulously, gasping at their recklessness and running. 

“Here we go!” 

“Excuse me! Excuse me!” Before he knew it, they reached the revolving door and hopped off to the sidewalk. More watchers decorated the roadside. They crossed the street in a flurry, almost got hit by a taxi, then reached Bokuto’s motorbike parking at its spot. 

They paused in a moment, laughing at the feat. “We made it, Bokuto-san....” 

“Haha...yeah—wait, Akaashi, look!” 

Bokuto walked to his bike and pulled off two large bags printed with the boutique’s logo. “Oh my god...” 

“Are those our clothes?!” Akaashi reached over, opening the other bag and seeing his beloved jeans inside, complete with his wallet and keys. That’s when he saw the black fabric neatly folded inside. “Are these...stolen?” 

Bokuto dug deep in his bag and let out a cheer. “Nope! Akaashi, look!” He waved the tags out. “Receipts!” 

Akaashi almost threw the clothes away. _There’s literally no way._ “Who...who did this? Are these ours now?!” 

He can’t fucking believe it. 

“Must be one of the watchers with access to daddy’s credit card?” Bokuto turned to the stream of watchers currently filming them at the side of the road. He shrugged, grabbing the slacks first and putting them on. Akaashi followed after he shivered at the breeze, a stark reminder that he was very much only dressed in his boxers. He quickly grabbed the paper bag to regain some of his decency. 

Once dressed, he turned to the man who took more time than him, as the coat had more buttons than his. 

“That’s much better, isn’t it?” Akaashi said onto the wind, watching Bokuto shrug on the coat he just watched him take off earlier. 

“Yeah,” Bokuto laughed, pinching around his arm as if it would wake him from his dream. “That was one of the most exciting dares I ever took!” 

Right, dares. He was on a money-making game! Akaashi slapped his cheeks in an effort to keep him on the ground—oh man, what exactly did he get himself into? 

_Bing!_

_XX Urbane Bank: [Akaashi Keiji] $2,500 is just been wired to your account. Thank you for trusting XX Urbane Bank with your transactions._

“Holy shit!” He laughed. “Look!” 

The same notification rang on Bokuto’s phone, a similar smile of disbelief and victory on his face. They met eyes and before they knew it, they wrapped their arms around each other. 

“Oh, wait.” Akaashi awkwardly pushed away from the hug, coming right to dig his face on Bokuto’s neck. 

“I did it again—!” Bokuto exclaimed, pulling away only to be stopped by his chest pin. The two looked back down and saw the pin caught on Akaashi’s lapel. They both reached at the same time, leading to their inner selves’s absolute death. 

“Shit, this is so awkward,” he coughed, reaching between their chests while Bokuto helped by leveling their heights evenly. He bent his knees and crouched to Akaashi’s height. “Please stay still, Bokuto-san.” 

He met those golden eyes once again, wide with something else other than awkwardness and its usual fire. When Akaashi pulled the pin off his lapel, Bokuto kept his distance, lips pushed tightly as if in hesitation in what to say. 

“What is it, Bokuto-san?” 

The spiky-haired man’s cheeks flushed red as he grabbed his spare helmet, offering it to Akaashi for the second time that night. Akaashi raised a brow in inquiry, the corners of his lips tugging on a small impressed smile. 

“....You want to go get pizza?”

This man will cause his death someday, really. He nodded, taking the helmet. “I’d like that.” 

* * *

“The remote's not broken, dumbass,” Suga said, slamming said remote on his drunk friend’s head. Atsumu flinched as he got hit. “ _You're_ broken.” 

The man walked shakily and held onto the wall for support. “No, It’s a celebration! It’s peeeerfectly reasonable to celebrate, y’know? D’ya even have an idea how strong the team we defeated was? They’re national champions! And we fucking obliterated that—” 

“I literally don’t understand one thing from what you said.” It’s Shirabu’s turn to grab the remote and scoot away as the drunk fell on the couch beside him. 

“Sober up ‘Tsumu for fuck’s sake. Our friends are missing.” Semi appeared, hugging a large water pitcher to his chest after chugging it, possibly in an attempt to sober himself. 

“Whaaa~? Our friend is missing? Which one?” Atsumu asked, joined by Suga and then answered by Shirabu’s exasperated sigh. The four conquered the large couch away from the crowd.

Kageyama then appeared by the side, just wandering by the room. He held up his phone displaying @Grey’s live feed, making his way to the couch’s armrest and sitting. “You mean Akaashi?” 

“Ooooh, what is he up to now?” Suga leaned on Kageyama’s shoulder, sipping loudly on his drink’s straw. 

“I just started watching when Hinata took a break,” Kageyama said. As they watched the feed load into a clearer resolution, Suga choked on his drink. Kageyama only raised a brow and showed the feed to Semi and Shirabu. 

“Oh, he’s running around...naked right now,” Shirabu added casually. 

“Oh my _god_...” 

“Is he seriously going to be okay?” Suga asked, coughing. “Who even started this? Who made him mad this time?” 

Atsumu raised his hands, leaning his heavy head to the sofa while closing his eyes. “Don’t look at me,” he said, “ _Look at Semi._ ” 

“Me?!” Semi slammed the water pitcher to Atsumu, who jumped up at the weight. “What _did_ I do?” 

“We need to talk about your life choices too, man,” Suga whispered to Semi, who hit him in the head playfully. 

“I can't be held responsible. I wasn't even there!” Semi said, “Ask Kenma.” 

“Yeah, where is Kenma?” Shirabu looked up. 

“I saw him using Atsumu’s computer.” They all looked at Kageyama, who is sipping some new drink he grabbed from Suna. 

“Should I go get him—“ 

“It’s fine, he hates crowds.” Shirabu stopped Suga, pulling him back down to sit. “It’s not just Keiji who is missing though.” 

“Oh? Who? Everyone’s here, right?” Suga asked, genuinely curious. Shirabu sighed, and Kageyama was the first to pick on. He groaned onto himself. Suga and Semi only looked curiously until it sank into them. 

_Oh_. 

They all turned to the guest bedroom door, locked and unnoticeable. 

_Oikawa_.

“Seriously? Again?” 

“Is he having se—“ 

“I think I’m gonna be sick—“ Atsumu heaved, leaning onto Semi who quickly pushed him away, leading him to vomit on the carpeting instead. Shirabu and Suga immediately walked away at the sight. 

Meanwhile, inside the said bedroom, Iwaizumi stripped himself off of his hoodie and threw it at his pouting boyfriend’s face. On the bed, Oikawa laid flat atop the sheets, stark naked to his underwear while glaring holes at the ceiling. 

“I hate you, Iwa-chan.” Nonetheless, he grabbed the hoodie and held it up to his face to inhale his boyfriend’s scent. 

“Get dressed, Tooru,” Iwaizumi sighed. “I’m not having sex with you like this, okay? Just tell me what the problem is.”

“It's a blowjob Iwa-chan, not a damn exorcism. You can let me off this much.” Oikawa rolled his eyes, sitting up and finally covering his top-half’s decency with his boyfriend’s hoodie. 

Iwaizumi proceeded to dig in Atsumu’s spare closet, pulling out some jeans he was sure they left there the last time they did each other in Atsumu’s house. Iwaizumi tossed him the jeans after confirming they’re clean. He pushed aside the black dress and white fur and sat next to his boyfriend on the bed. 

“You’re really not doing me though? That’s 100% serious?” Oikawa asked, throwing himself onto Iwaizumi’s chest. “Are you mad at me?” 

“No.” 

“Is it because I gave Ushijima a lap—“ 

“No, but you’ll be punished for that later. I’m still mad at you for that.” 

“Iwa~” 

“I said no, not until you tell me what got you hiding in here,” the man whispered, holding onto Oikawa’s head gently. “Did something happen with your dare? Who do I have to punch?” 

He let his boyfriend grab onto his shirt and bury his face in his chest. “No! I’m fine,” Oikawa said, “I was just charging my phone here and used Semi’s to call Akaashi.” 

“And?” he supplied patiently. 

“Akaashi’s mad at me!” Oikawa finally pulled away, looking up at him with regretful eyes. 

“Are you _drunk_?” Iwaizumi deadpanned. 

“No! I haven’t even drank anything yet!” Oikawa explained before hugging him again. “But if Keiji dies tonight, it’s on me...” 

“What the fuck, nobody’s dying tonight!” Iwaizumi exclaimed, “What did you do?” 

Oikawa sniffed. “I told him he was boring and I got him into Nerve and now he’s at the city on a stranger’s motorbike and he’s going to dieee!” 

Iwaizumi facepalmed, flicking Oikawa’s forehead. “You massive idiot, I told you to stop bullying your friends!” 

“You bully me—I’m so sorryyyyy!!!” 

“Besides, Keiji had been with you for the entirety of your highschool career. Care for him more, would you?”

“He's not so easy to be taken care of...“

“Oh, and you think you are?” Iwaizumi flicked the brunet's nose. “If I can handle you, and your friends haven't separated your head from your body yet, you can afford to swallow your ego and care for him more, yeah? 

“Iwa-chan,” he sobbed, “I'm sorry.”

“Oikawa, just get up. I’m getting you a drink,” Iwaizumi said, patting the weight on his chest. “You called Kenma right? He’s watching over Keiji, don’t worry.” 

“Iwa-chan, I love you so muuuch,” Oikawa mumbled, latching onto his torso as he stood. 

“Yeah, yeah, just put on the jeans and step out, okay? I’ll be waiting outside.” 

The moment Iwaizumi stepped out, he quickly opened his Nerve and looked at the leaderboards. With Oikawa mentioning a stranger and a motorbike, a name and a connected suspicion immediately popped into his head. 

TOP SEVEN FINALISTS   
1\. @blackcat 11.4k views ♕  
2\. @guessmonster 10.9k views ♛  
3\. @Strix 9.8k views ♛  
4\. @Sunshine 9.7k views   
5\. @WhiteEagle 8.9k views   
6\. @Grey 8.3k views   
7\. @MilkBread 7.9k views 

“You sly motherfucker,” he growled to himself, glaring at the screen in front of him. “I knew it.” 

* * *

“Where to, my liege?” 

Akaashi laughed, holding onto his shoulders as they drifted in the city. The lights were visible as long lines and nothing else with their speed, and he felt like he can conquer the entire universe. With Bokuto, everything seemed possible. 

“Can you stop with the ‘liege’ thing, Bokuto-san?” 

“What do you want me to call you then?” the driver replied. 

“Maybe my name?” he suggested.

“Ah, I know!” he beamed, “I shall call you my world.” 

He found himself speechless for the nth time that night. Before he could say anything, Bokuto suddenly perked up and grinned. They met eyes through his side mirror. 

“...aaaaand I just knew where I had to take you, Akaashi!” They skidded to a pause before they U-turned, disappearing to the opposite direction and beyond. 

“Where?” 

“Well, do you trust me?” 

_Trust?_ If they’re talking trust, Akaashi never really trusted anyone in his life as much as he did himself. If there’s someone responsible enough in his life to keep himself safe, it would be himself. 

Until he met this man. Something in his guts was drawn to him at the first sight, and there wasn’t a dare forcing him to this time. 

_Oh man._ “Yes.” 

“That’s all I needed to know.” Bokuto turned to stop at a roadside and Akaashi turned to look the place. It was a small coffee shop situated between a laundry and a library. It was at the opposite side of the city, in a street he had never been before. Yellow fairy lights decorated the entrance, extending inside to some tables and the walls.

“What is this? The...Comet?” 

The shop logo was one of a comet, coming to head on a teacup printed like the cosmos. Bokuto brought down the stand and turned off the engine, taking off his helmet. 

“They also have some pizzas here! Kuroo and I once went here with his date Kod—Konzu...“ he paused, “Sorry, I forgot his name...” 

“Kuroo? Is that right?” Akaashi asked, swinging his legs to sit at the motorbike sideways, eyeing the man. “Who is he? Is he a bestfriend of yours?” 

“Yeah!” The man seemed happy at the memory. “You see this jacket? Kuroo got each of us one of these. I got an owl patch on mine and he got a cat!” 

He can definitely see the man squealing at the patch. Now that he thought about it, he barely knew anything from him. His friends must be just as cool as him, right? 

“You must have spend a lot of time in the city then,” Akaashi commented, “Do you live here?” 

“Oh yeah! Not in this area though, I lived way over there,”—he pointed to the next turn over—“but _hell yeah_ , I like these streets better.” 

Akaashi raised a brow. “What got you in the diner earlier then? You went that far for some water?” 

The gray-haired man suddenly paused, looking between the shop and his eyes. “Oh, I...uh, the owl keeper of my zoo lives in your town,” he answered. “Let’s go in?” 

He took his hand and hopped off the bike. With a smile, Bokuto led him inside and showed him one of the best rooms he had ever been in. 

“Take a deep breath, Akaashi. Welcome to the universe.” 

The lights extended up to the dark ceiling, with the smaller lights appearing like stars on the night sky. The wall to their right is also painted on with nebulae, planets, and meteors. 

“I...I didn’t know this place exists,” he gasped, eyeing the sight. If he did, he should have come sooner. 

“Ah, well. Kuroo just dragged me here too,” Bokuto said, holding his hand up to his face. Akaashi jumped when his lips came into sudden contact with his hand, pulling his hand away in instinct. 

“Ah....Akaashi...?” 

“I....” His face started to heat. “You can’t just do that, Bokuto-san!” 

_If he won’t die on a dare, he’d die of a heart attack, he knew it._

“Eh?” 

* * *

“This idiot, really.” Kenma rolled his eyes as he finally figured out the football player’s computer password, fighting the urge to crumple the sticky note he found inside the CD drive. 

_thebettertwinN618_

Who in the world uses passwords like that anymore? Kenma plopped down on the desk chair and leaned his head on his hand, watching the computer start up. He got to commend the man, though. That password’s pretty secure. 

He propped his phone on the nearby pencil holder and clicked onto @Strix’s stream. 

“ _So...what do you want to be when you're older?_ ” Akaashi’s voice can be heard in the background, the camera focused on some familiar looking fairy lights mounted on some wall. 

Wait... 

“ _Happy.”_

“ _Uhm, I was asking for something like a job or profession but uhh,_ ” Akaashi paused, staring at the man. “ _Are you okay?_ ”

Bokuto blinked at the fairy-lights surrounding them before realizing what he just said. 

“ _No! I mean, like, Happy Hogan!_ ” Bokuto answered with his mouth half-full. “ _He gets to drive Iron Man! Who doesn’t want that?_ ” 

Kenma snapped his fingers and groaned. They’re at _The Comet!_ How could he forget that place? 

He took a large sigh and exited Nerve, dialing another phone number on his keypad. The phone rang once then twice before someone picked up. 

“KENMAAAAA—ow!” 

“ _Go get more pingpong balls, Lev!_ ” Yaku’s voice answered. “ _Yo, is that you Kenma? When are you stopping by? We missed you so much!_ ” 

“I missed you too,” he sighed. “...Right now, I need you to do me a favor.” 

The sound of bouncing ping pong balls paused as Yaku walked away to a more secluded room. “ _Anything. I did owe you one for teaching Lev how to use Visual Basic._ ” 

Atsumu’s computer finally booted up. Kenma typed out the hidden browser he installed and turned back to the phone. “I need access to Aruba.”

“ _Lev, get away! I’m sorry Kenma._ _To what?_ ”

“To Arー” 

The door creaked open. “What’s up, Kodzuken.” 

He jumped, turning on the desk chair around and catching that bad hair job he can recognize from somewhere. He narrowed his eyes as the doors shut closed behind the intruder. 

“How in the _fuck_ did you get in here?” Kenma asked as the man stepped closer, taking the closest seat to Atsumu’s beanbag chair. 

“It’s a house party! I’m a jock, isn’t that obvious?” The man shrugged.

“Kuroo, you’re a damn nerd.” 

“I missed you too, Kenma.” Kuroo laughed. 

“Cool.” The pudding head sighed, turning back to face the computer. Then, a voice boomed loud making his phone tip off the desk. 

“ _IS THAT KUROO?!”_

“The fuck?!” Kuroo jumped as well, widening his eyes. “Is that Yaku...?” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Kenma bent down to pick up the phone. The moment he sat up, he’s 3 inches away from Kuroo’s face. “Get the hell off—” 

“Yaku?!” Kuroo whispered to the phone. “Oh my god, I missed you...!” 

“ _Well I didn’t. Give the phone back to Kenma_ ,” Yaku replied. Kenma proceeded to push Kuroo back to Atsumu’s beanbag chair, pointing to the root beer he saved for himself. As Kuroo busied himself with the drink, keeping a curious eye on him all the while, Kenma pressed the phone back to his ears. “ _What do you need, honey?_ ” 

“You’re watching Nerve, right?” Kenma said.

“ _Duh! Season Seven, baby!_ ” Lev yelled. “ _Ow! Yaku, come on~! I haven’t talked to Kenma in ages._ ” 

“ _He doesn’t want to talk to you,_ ” Yaku spat. “ _Yes Kenma, we’re watching. We all are._ ” 

Kenma breezed through the search engine and the websites, the satisfying clicking sound of his superhuman typing entrancing the tall raven-haired man near him. “Yaku, I’m trying to research something about someone, but there’s nothing here.” 

Kuroo opened his mouth to speak, only to be stopped when Kenma held up an open palm for him to stop. 

“ _Have you tried...Google?_ ” 

“Yes, I tried Google.” Kenma sat back, pinching his nose bridge. “Look, I need a ticket to Aruba.” 

Both Kuroo and Yaku choked in shock. Kuroo spat out his drink and coughed.

“ _Bitch what?!_ ” Yaku exclaimed. _“...No.”_

“Please? It’s for a friend.” 

Kuroo snapped his fingers between his eyes and the computer, demanding his attention. Kenma looked at the man in annoyance, watching him mouth, _what are you doing?!_

_“Kenma, honey. Look, Lev already messed up my rating enough.”_

“I’m not gonna buy drugs or hire a—wait, what? You let Lev on the dark web?” 

“Holy...” Kuroo laughed, pacing around the room. “Good for him.” 

_Shut the fuck up._ Kenma met Kuroo’s eyes in disappointment. The man raised his arms in a surrender, a shit eating grin still plastered on his face. 

“Anyways, Yaku,” Kenma pleaded. “My friend might be in major trouble. Pretty please...?” 

He was answered with a few dozen pingpong noises before Yaku groaned. “... _Fine, I’ll send you a passkey._ ” 

He sighed in relief, opening his messenger and eagerly pressing on Yaku Morisuke’s contact. “Thanks, Yaku.” 

“ _Just don’t get a damn hitman like our resident idiot here._ ” 

_“Hey!”_ Lev protested in the background.

“Yup, got it.” 

The moment he placed down the phone, Kuroo bursted into long-held laughter. “The hell?! I can’t believe Yaku let Lev into Aruba!“

Kenma ignored this and pressed Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V on the passkey. Once inside the secret community, he clicked on the search bar and typed: _Nerve @Strix motorbike._

“Woah! You know, you could have just asked me if it’s about Bo,” Kuroo said, leaning on his chair and watching him browse. “I met him last week.” 

“I can’t trust you and anything you say.” 

The man’s breath got caught in his throat. For a few seconds of silence, Kuroo finally picked up on the cold shoulder. 

“Look, Kenma. I’m sorry,” he said, “You said you already forgave me.” 

“I did forgive you,” he deadpanned.

On the screen, the search results piled up on mostly Nerve viewer chat archives: ‘Strix is so cool!’, ‘I hope he wins this season!’, ‘The guts this man has is legendary.’ Kenma scrolled on the mouse a little more harshly. 

“I never said anything about trusting you again though.” 

Kuroo suddenly grabbed the office chair and turned it around, forcing the pudding-head to face the dark-haired man. 

“Kenma! Kodzuken, whatever you want me to call you right now,” Kuroo called, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him gently. “I’m sorry, okay?”

“I already forgave you, how many times do I need to say that?” Kenma pushed the hands away and turned back to the computer. “If you want me back, then tell me why the fuck Strix is playing this season again.” 

Viewer Chat //   
@knhaknr12: sidebet @Strix will champion this season!!! 

“Oh, and also where he got that bike from.” 

“What? No.” Kuroo stepped back. “I’m not a snitch. Bo’s my friend too.” Kenma kept his eyes on the screen until it brushed past a certain mugshot. 

_Bingo._ Kenma clicked on a result that took him on a series of documents and prints. He pointed to the screen and smirked up at the man. 

“What about now? Still not a snitch?” 

Kuroo frowned at him, staring at the mugshot-like photos displayed on the computer. 

_NERVE PROFILE_  
_Name: Kuroo Tetsurou, @blackcat_  
_Age: 21_  
_Status: Active_  
_Current Rank: #1_

_NERVE PROFILE_  
_Name: Bokuto Kotarou, @Strix_  
_Age: 20_  
_Status: Prisoner_  
_Current Rank: #3_

Kuroo gulped. 

The gray-haired man’s mugshot photo stared at the screen and bore holes onto his soul. The daunting status of his bestfriend tugged at the edges of his sympathy and his conscience; Kenma’s stare pushing it even further. 

Kuroo finally sighed, sprawling his hand all over his face in dejection. “For someone who bailed on the second dare, you have the guts to get on champions like this.” 

“I thought you want me back?” Kenma smirked to himself, scrolling past @blackcat and @Strix’s entire lives and info. From the hospital they were born at, to their exact locations on the map and what they had for breakfast—it’s all there. The Internet really is a wonderful place. 

“Oh, you’re scared of canines...?” Kenma scrolled more, seeing the set of fears gathered by the system on all his former social media and conversations. Kuroo rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah, make fun of it,” he said. “You looked proud using someone’s wimpy computer though. Your friend might end up dead tomorrow with how much you’re enjoying Aruba on his pc.” 

“Oh shut up, I modified this thing to be safe,” Kenma gestured to Atsumu’s entire gaming setup. “He’s thankful he had the most secure porn stash in the country. If he’ll die tomorrow, it’ll be of alcohol poisoning and not of some dark web angel of death, so that too.” 

Kuroo finally raised his hands in a surrender. There’s no fighting against someone who knew everything about everyone. 

“What do you want me to do, Kodzuken?” 

He nodded in satisfaction, turning on the chair. “The name’s Kenma. Nice to meet you, Kuroo. Good to see you’re back.”

* * *

“Ah, so the Suga guy is the more kind one,” Bokuto nodded. “I’m sorry, I kept mistaking him for the Semi guy.” 

Akaashi laughed, chewing onto a slice of the 18-inch Hawaiian. “People kept mistaking them as twins or something. Suga’s the one with the mole, it’s easy as that.” 

“Yeah,” Bokuto slurped the large pepsi. “So you all met at school?” 

“Ah yeah,” Akaashi sighed. “Speaking of school, I almost failed another test this week. My mom's going to kill me. I don’t want to be home, like, at all.”

Bokuto stared at his pouting face, discreetly trying to scoop as much cheese he can on his slice. “You seem to be keen on what others think of you, Akaashi. Nobody’s mom kills someone for a failed test...I think.” 

“You think so?” He started to play with his pizza with his plastic fork. “I'm tired of getting unnoticed all damn time. When I get noticed, it’s only because I said something bad.” 

It was true then, and it’s still true now. Being friends with loudmouths, salty drama queens and adrenaline junkies, people like him and Kenma almost went unnoticed most of the time. Setting aside some exceptions like Suga and Kageyama, everyone else practically pretend they don’t exist unless they spoke up or did something wrong. The others came to even pick on them without any further explanation. Perhaps their jokes are the exact things that will push someone else to break. 

_And if that isn’t Oikawa Tooru in a nutshell..._

“I was just, you know...” he continued. “I wish I wasn't always quiet. I wish they...” 

“They?” Bokuto repeated, eyebrows high. “Or maybe you meant only a single one?” 

Akaashi took a deep breath. If he won’t admit it to himself, nobody else would. _Fine then._

“I wish _Oikawa_ isn’t so mean all the time.” 

There, he said it. If he had a genie in some god-forsaken miracle, he would wish for their self-proclaimed leader to be kind. Nonetheless, he knew that isn’t everything Oikawa was. If he would come from an unbiased perspective, Oikawa is actually great leader and a fun active friend to have. He gets them into the greatest parties and had them meet cool people. It’s just a shame he’s—no offense— _rude as fuck._

“Are your friends all like that Oikawa guy?” 

Akaashi looked up and met curious gold eyes, reflecting the star-like lights surrounding them. For a moment, he felt like they were floating in space and he’s facing the sun. 

“No, but they used to,” he answered truthfully, “They were all rude before.” 

Bokuto snuck another slice, playing with the loose fairy lights with his free hand. “How do you mean “rude before”? Is that a thing?” 

“Yeah! Like, Kageyama and I met when we both ended up at the office. He spilled milk on me and he got mad first.” 

He was supposed to give the freshman a tour of the campus. Turns out the kid is Oikawa’s protege in more ways than one; he realized when they met eyes for the first time. “He shouted at me. Like, a lot. We made up sometime after.”

Akaashi can’t help the laugh that escaped his mouth when Bokuto chuckled. “Wait, what? Hahaha! He seemed pretty cool but he shouts a lot.” 

He knew a couple dozen people like that. Akaashi grabbed the pizza and chewed, sharing into the lightness Bokuto showed. He leaned on the table showing he listens, and Akaashi couldn’t find anything else to ask for. By then, the rant years worth of pain slipped out. 

“I know! And Shirabu?” 

“Wait, Shirabu? I forgot...” Bokuto hummed, “The guy with the bowl cut?” 

“Yeah! He threw a dodgeball to my face during gym.” He laughed at the memory. It was a happy accident; the ball was meant for Goshiki. “With Atsumu, I just took their photo once and he kept coming back for more. I guess he can’t find anyone else to tolerate that face of his.” 

“Oh my god, Akaashi!” Bokuto held his stomach in laughter. “Your friends sound fun! What about the...uh, the Oikawa guy?” 

Akaashi laughter ceased, and Bokuto straightened up in realization. He kept his eyes trained on the pizza in front of him, using the plastic fork to play with the toppings. He was broken out of his pity party when Bokuto reached over and held his hand. 

“He was my first friend in highschool,” he started slowly. “But he had always been somewhat rude. He kept telling me I’m boring and shit. At least I don’t call him out on him being the campus slut.” Akaashi whispered the last sentence under his breath. 

“Oh? Uh, boring?” Bokuto asked with genuine surprise. “...How? Like, seriously, how? You’re one of the most exciting people I’ve ever met.” 

“Really?” 

He blushed. Nobody told him that before. 

“What happened then?” the gray-haired man asked, eyeing him curiously. “You shouldn’t have put up with that kind of treatment, Akaashi.” 

“It was so devastating that my depression just got depression,” he joked, only to be received with an awkward laugh. “Yeah, okay. It feels bad, but they’re also good people. Sometimes.” 

All he wanted was to wake up one day with peace, where the only news that mattered was that there's less days until spring, and that the sun came up wonderfully. However, every single day he enters their school, he ended up walking home with a desire to go to a professional masseuse from his daily dose of bullshit. 

Before he can speak, Bokuto reached across the table and held both of his hands, with the pizza in the middle. 

“Akaashi, I don’t know if this is a great time but when I first saw you, I think I liked you already.” Bokuto started, before meeting his eyes then faltering. “Well, not exactly, you smelled pretty nice and it went from there!” 

“You smelled nice too, Bokuto-san.” He gulped. What exactly was he supposed to say to that?! 

“I don’t agree with your friends, but what do you say about going to that party you’re supposed to be in?” Bokuto offered. Akaashi didn’t miss the fidgeting hands partially visible at the edge of the table. “Surely you'll be sad only for now! Just because Akaashi can stand it doesn’t mean Akaashi has to.”

“That....” Akaashi stared, “...was surprisingly deep.” 

And repetitive.

He placed down his fork and squeezed him in affirmation. _Yes, let’s go._

Bokuto smiled, a reddish tint climbing his neck at the contact. “Too deep?” 

He nodded. “Too deep.” 

They both pushed their chairs aside, with Bokuto grabbing some cash to put inside their bill. As the waiter retrieved the folder, their phones vibrated with the oh-so-familiar bell notification. 

_Bing_! 

“Oya, oya,” Bokuto started, leading him out of the fairy-lit entrance walkway. “The watchers are asking if you trust me.” 

“Of course,” he answered without question. At this point, he had no reason not to. “What about it? Are you feeding me mystery meat?” 

He leaned to peek, only to stop when a familiar convertible skidded to a stop right in front of The Comet. The two walked out slowly.

“Long time no see, Strix!”

“Bro!” Bokuto jumped, launching forward to bump their fists. Akaashi raised a brow at the tall stranger, having a strange feeling that they had seen each other before. 

Before he can speak, the man walked up to his direction and shoved a piece of paper to his chest. 

“Hold that for me real quick,” he said, bringing out a phone. “...Grey, right?” 

“Yeah...?” 

He held the paper to his chest, which he just realized was an A4 sized sticker of _Tokyo F***ing Japan_. He looked at an equally-confused Bokuto as the shutter flashed into his eyes. In a quick moment, the man was gone, waving to Bokuto in a rush before driving away. 

As they watched him come and go, now driving away, that’s when it hit Akaashi. 

_KDZKN_  
_10-16_

Why is that man driving Kenma’s car? 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao there are two more scenes here but I haven’t written them yet. I’ll try to upload back home.
> 
> Note: The xray went fine. As a celebration, I uploaded the rest of this chapter, luvluvs.


	4. A Lifetime of Near Death Experiences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I procastinated a lot for this.

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗  
𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬

“Ah, shit.” Iwaizumi whispered huskily on his ear, making Oikawa smirk proudly at his attempt to bring out his boyfriend's inner demons. “You're making me hard, baby. You got to take care of this, you know that right?”

“Mhm.” He only brushed his hands at his boyfriend's crotch before going back to the counter beer pong, totally missing the cup. “I'm well aware, Iwa-chan! But you rather don't have me suck you off in the middle of 'Tsum's kitchen, do you?”

Iwaizumi let out a growl, leaning his warm body on his back. Oikawa reached up and brushed his fingers over his shoulders to Iwaizumi's hair. 

“Do you, Iwa-chan?”

“Ah, you little shit,” Iwaizumi whispered, his breath clinging onto the smell of beer. “You danced to another guy, are you expecting me to be forget that?”

“Aw, you jealous? It was just a dareー”

The moment was broken when a pingpong ball zoomed between their faces, bouncing off the counters and onto the floor. 

“Hey, the fuck?” The lovebirds chorused, glaring at the proprietor who stood at the side-wall separating the kitchen and the living room. 

“I've been calling you but you're busy grinding on your boyfriend!” Suga rolled his eyes and motioned him over. “Hey, Iwaizumi! Let me borrow Oikawa for a sec. I'll make sure you guys can suck each other off uninterrupted later!”

“Language, Suga.” Daichi appeared behind him, holding a red cup of root beer. Oikawa made sure to blow his loving boyfriend a kiss before disappearing to the living room with Suga and Daichi. Atsumu and Semi also appeared. 

“What's up?” he asked. 

“Oh, I'll show you _what's up_ ー”

“Shut up, Atsumu.” A hand came and hit the fake blonde at the back of his head. Semi dragged him away and pushed him to his twin brother's arms. 

“Let me show you,” Suga explained. He brought out his phone and pointed it to Atsumu's flat screen tv, sliding the display to mirror onto the television. The crowd all gasped at the sight. 

@Strix 12.3k views 

“— _mistaking them as twins or something. Suga’s the one with the mole, it’s easy as that._ ” 

“What’s this?” Oikawa asked, watching the feed on the large flat screen. Most of @Strix’s stream faces the bright lights of yellow fairy lights, but two people can easily be made out on the silhouettes. 

“Akaashi, he...” Suga started. “He’s talking about us.” 

The party crowd paused as well to watch along. Most of them looked between the screen then Oikawa, who pushed past and took the nearest couch seat. Suga and Semi sat beside him, and he can make out Kageyama, Shirabu and Atsumu standing nearby behind. Iwaizumi also placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“ _I just, you know? I wish I wasn't always quiet. I wish they.._.” 

“ _They? Or maybe you meant only a single one?_ ” 

The beer suddenly tasted bland on Oikawa’s tongue. 

“ _I wish Oikawa isn’t so mean all the time.”_

The crowd gasped, some of amusement and other of genuine shock. They all looked at the brunet in question, who shoved his drink to Shirabu behind him and patted his hand on his pockets. 

“Where’s my phone?” he whispered harshly. That’s right; he came here to charge his phone and give Keiji a call. 

“You’re charging it, let me grab it,” Iwaizumi said, patting him on the shoulder before leaving. The crowd remained on their toes, listening to the stream the duo must have forgotten was very much _live._

“Oikawa...” Suga whispered in an attempt to soothe. Kageyama took Iwaizumi’s place behind the senior and leaned. 

“Isn’t that your fault?” he asked, slurping milk from his box loudly. “Technically, Akaashi’s right.” 

“Shut up, Tobio! God...” Oikawa massaged his temples, keeping his eyes on the TV. 

“ _Are your friends all like that Oikawa guy?”_ Strix asked.

_“No, but they used to. They were all rude before.”_

Shirabu froze. Beside him, Kageyama slowly lowered his milk box in surprise. 

“... _Rude before? Is that a thing?”_

_“Yeah! Like, Kageyama and I met when we both ended up at the office. He spilled milk on me and he got mad first. One of the most socially inept guys I’ve ever met.”_

“Woah!” Most of the football team exclaimed, eyeing the group of friends in question. 

“Oh I still remember that!” 

“I think I filmed it...” 

“Hey! Shut up! No films!” Shirabu busied himself with chasing off the murmuring crowd. Meanwhile, Suga, Semi and Oikawa looked back to the freshman, who returned the confused gaze. Kageyama looked at the television like deer caught in the headlights. 

“Aw, what are you going to do about it?” one of their schoolmates teased Shirabu, who grabbed him on the collar in annoyance. 

“Want me to—“ 

“ _And Shirabu?”_

They all paused once more, turning to the screen. 

“ _Wait, Shirabu? I forgot..._ ” Strix hummed. “ _The guy with the bowl cut?”_

_“Yeah! He threw a dodgeball to my face during gym.”_

The guys laughed. On the couch, Oikawa watched as Shirabu released the guy and looked down at his hands in shame. 

“Here, I got your phone.” Iwaizumi returned, tapping his cellular on his shoulder. “What happened?” 

“Our resident shy guy is quite a closet loudmouth, eh?” Atsumu slurred, leaning heavily on the couch back as he downed some water. He raised his arms around ceremoniously, forcing a disturbed smile. “Apparently, we’re all “rude as fuck”!” 

The football player went ignored when Akaashi continued. “ _And with Atsumu, I just took their photo once and he kept coming back for more.”_

Suga sighed, making his way to shut the TV only to be stopped by a hand on his chest. Oikawa held him back, glaring at the screen. 

“ _I guess he can’t find anyone else to tolerate that face of his.”_

“The hell? He try’na pick a fight?” Atsumu yelled. Iwaizumi personally held the drunk back as laughter emerged from Strix and Grey. 

“ _What about the...uh, the Oikawa guy?”_

“ _He was my first friend in highschool. He had always been somewhat rude. He kept telling me I’m boring and shit,”_ Akaashi said, _”At least I don’t call him out on him being the campus slut.”_

Oikawa widened his eyes at the sight. 

“Oikawa, I think—“ 

“No, Suga, don’t,” he started, shifting away from the man. “You aren’t the one who just got called a slut on a livestream. _Shut up._ ” 

Just as the screen redirected to show more of their friend’s angry rant, Oikawa pulled out his phone from his pocket and walked out of the room, ignoring the multitude of eyes trained on him. Suga stood, only to pause at Iwaizumi shaking his head. They all remained on their seats, watching Oikawa disappear out of Atsumu’s front door. 

After a long trip down, swallowing the angry tears at bay, he reached the apartment parking lot and shivered at the coldness of the night. He crouched down by the smoking area and held his head on his hands. 

He can’t believe Akaashi called him out on live. _Him? A slut?!_

He choked in frustration. The worst part is that Akaashi’s statement came from somewhere true. 

_Bing_! 

He blinked at his screen just as a set of footsteps appeared by the corner. 

“It’s your fault. I told you keep the provocation on the low.” 

“Tch, Akaashi didn’t say anything about you.” 

“Dunno,” Kenma shrugged, leaning on the wall as he watched Oikawa stare at his phone. “What are you planning?” 

ИEЯVE >> @MilkBread dropped off the Top 7 Finalists! Please accept a dare in 29:59s to return. 

_What a good timing._ He forced his head up and glanced at his hacker friend, who looked at ease scrolling on his phone. 

“Why are you even down here, Kenma?” he asked, exasperated. Kenma walked to crouch down next to him, patting him twice. 

“Somebody borrowed my car.” 

“I just dropped off the top 7,” Oikawa said. 

“You know, Oikawa,” Kenma started, pulling away and walking back to the corner he came in from. “You’re dismissive of other people. That’s your problem.” 

Oikawa blinked in surprise before smiling bitterly. “And here I thought I’m just rude.” 

“Oh come on, Atsumu and Shirabu liked you because you were ‘rude’, let’s face it.” Kenma rolled his eyes. “Are you going to apologize to Akaashi or does it end here?” 

“...”

When Oikawa didn’t answer, Kenma took this as a cue to leave. All the mixed emotions and alcohol boiled into mush in his guts—he wanted to punch a wall, cry and kill someone. 

Ah, right. _He can,_ he realized as he felt his phone’s weight on his hands. 

Oikawa quickly went back to Nerve, pointing the camera to his face. He’s the one and only darling of Nerve, nothing’s going to take that away. 

@MilkBread 3,967 views 

“Hello, darlings! I am trusting you guys to not let me down! Come on, give me a dare, I'd do anything!”

Viewer Chat =   
@knmkra23: anything huh?   
@kndchytr12: want a dare? let's give him a dare then!   
@hnmktkh25: give this bitch a dare, he's begging for it   
@mtskwss38: yeah, make him put ice cream in xx and make @blackcat lick it up   
@kndchytr12: or maybe @WhiteEagle?   
@kytnmddg19: oh my my 

Oikawa rolled his eyes as he waited for that familiar Bing! notification. For the months he played Nerve, his loyal watchers never failed to keep him entertained. For every single fight, for every single trouble he got himself in, Nerve had always been there. He knew they wouldn’t let him down this time as well. 

The breeze was cool on his face, the city skyline visible on the horizon. So that's where baby Akaashi dearest is right now? 

* * *

“That’s...that’s my friend _Kuroo_ ,” Bokuto said in a daze, tilting his head in confusion to the direction Kuroo disappeared to. “Why did he leave so suddenly?” 

“He...” Akaashi pointed, mouth agape. “He just had Kenma’s car!” 

“What?” Bokuto turned to him, and Akaashi only took a deep breath and leaned on Bokuto’s parked motorbike. “Who’s Kenma?” 

He massaged an upcoming headache away. He’s not exactly in a mood to talk about his friends anymore. He’s hoped it’s not carnapped; Kenma practically lives in his car. 

“No, nevermind, just a friend,” he said, fidgeting with his fingers and giving in. “So, a lot happened tonight, huh?” 

Even that is an understatement.

“Yeah.” His partner-in-crime went next to him and stared at the empty roads, pushing his hands inside his owl jacket and leaning close to Akaashi. The action made him reach out and throw an arm around the man. “...You’re so warm, Akaashi.” 

He smiled. 

“You know, all my life, people kept telling me I’m too energetic for my own good,” he started. 

The moon shone down brightly on them. 

“They told me I’ll get myself killed with all the stunts I pulled.” For the first time that night, Bokuto’s voice faltered. Akaashi pulled away slightly to glance at the man, only to be secured when he reached for his hands again.

“Why did you play Nerve? Are you an adrenaline junkie?” he asked out of curiosity. When he first saw the man, he was clueless. _Who is he, really?_

“I got into some issues, did some things I wish I didn’t,” Bokuto laughed, as if shrugging them away. “I guess I play because this is the only thing I can meet _people like you_ who can tolerate _people like me.”_

Akaashi furrowed his brows in concern. “What do you mean _people like you?”_

“People ditch me because I’m somehow too good, and it’s funny because I don’t even know where and how.” Bokuto leaned closer to his shoulder, cuddling his arm under the stars. “You know, Akaashi? Let’s talk about something else, I got to tell you something reaaaally...weird anyway.” 

“Yes, Bokuto-san?” 

The things he said didn’t escape Akaashi. He may not understand the exact circumstances of his personal life, but it made him...sad. Whatever this man went through, it seemed like he doesn’t deserve it. People ditched him? Those are maniacs, why would they ditch _Bokuto_? 

Then the gray-haired man gulped, holding Akaashi’s hands onto his. Akaashi noticed how it started to tremble slightly, and he pushed his eyebrows in concern. 

“Bokuto-san?” 

He looked up with guilty eyes. “I am a...” 

Akaashi nodded, coaxing him to continue. He’s here to listen. “A what?” 

“I am a priso—“ 

_Bing!_

Great timing, Nerve! The moment was broken with the chime. They both reached for their phones in their pockets only to look up in surprise. He can always ask Bokuto later, perhaps when the game is over and they exchanged numbers? There goes the moment with all the— _oh no._

He can’t be reading this right. His hands started to get cold. 

“...What did that just say?”

He shrugged, showing his phone. In confusion, he read the neon letters on his dare. 

Get to 60mph blindfolded.   
$10,000 

He looked back at his dare. 

Trust @Strix?   
$10,000 

“...Are you kidding me?” Bokuto widened his eyes at Akaashi’s dare. “Are we gonna...?” 

In shock, he stepped away and paced at the sidewalk. Whatever he was thinking, it was out of his mind now. _This is it_ —the dangerous part Kenma was talking about. Nerve was sketchy from the start; he vaguely remembered Shirabu almost dying when he played last season. Oh god, the sight of Shirabu on the hospital bed sent fear down his spine. He’s going to end up the same way, he knew it.

“Can you...can you trust me, Akaashi?” Bokuto reached for him, pulling out his keys. The sight and noise of the metal ring clinking almost made him flinch. 

What are they talking about again? 

* * *

_Years Ago..._

“Are you sure, man?” Semi asked, sending him off. “I can drive you home. I’m driving Tendou, Ushijima and Shirabu anyway.” 

“No, no,” Akaashi said, stumbling slightly as he wore his shoes by Semi’s patio. “I also wanted to try my new bike on actual roads.”

“Oh?!” Semi’s shocked expression was joined by Suga and Kageyama, who looked just as hammered and bed-headed as he was from their party last night. 

* * *

“Akaashi?!” Bokuto raised his voice, holding him on his shoulders. Akaashi slowly looked back up, finding it getting harder to breath from the memory. “Are you okay? Akaashi?” 

* * *

_memory_

Still wearing last night’s beer-stained jeans and a shirt he borrowed from a hookup, he kicked the motorcycle stand away and waved to his friends. They stood in front of Semi’s abode, looking wrecked with party streamers and toilet paper not just on the inside but also on the outside. 

“I wished my mom bought me a car.” Atsumu pouted, eyeing Akaashi’s ride. “Oh, I wish I can drive too.”

“I can’t believe he knows how to drive.” Oikawa placed his hands on his hip, sipping that morning’s green tea. 

“Oh right! You can’t drive too!” Atsumu clapped, a smirk on his face as he ruffled Oikawa’s hair to look just like theirs. 

“Now there’s one thing Akaashi had that you don’t,” Suga laughed. 

“Tch, shut up, Mr. Throw-It-Back.” Oikawa walked back in with a grumpy face. “Just clean your mess! Semi’s parents are coming back this afternoon!” 

“Who puked on my carpet?!” the host screamed from the inside, prompting everyone to point to the milk-loving freshman near them. 

“N-Not me! It’s Hinata!” 

“It is still you, man.” Shirabu nodded. “Take responsibility for your boyfriend.” 

“He’s not my boyfriend!” 

“Yet,” Akaashi added playfully, making the freshman take off in a flustered mess. They shared a hearty laugh at their youngest friend. “I’ll be going now.” 

He waved one last time before finally driving away, smiling at the goodbye’s they sent him. Enduring the scent of sweat on Atsumu’s bike helmet he borrowed, he sped on the highway home. 

The morning wind was free, and with the one-month old motorcycle, he felt like he was flying on his way home. It was a combination of exhilaration, fear, and pleasure that changes you forever. It’s physical and emotional pleasure, with a layer of anxiety and adrenaline. He thanked whatever deity pushed his mom to buy him a motorcycle. Riding is one great blessing on earth. 

Then a car came on the next intersection.

The hospital lights were blinding that afternoon.

It was as if the deity took back its words and jinxed his words back. 

* * *

Akaashi leaned onto Bokuto, feeling a flash of pain just recalling the hospitalization. “No. You’re not driving anywhere.” 

“What?!” the man exclaimed, looking at his phone as he held Akaashi to his chest. “But...” 

Viewer Chat //   
@knhaknr30: who made this dare?! someone pay to change this   
@tstskwsh84: how about NOOO let’s see if this fucker can drive again   
@szmdkao26: you stalked him? u disgusting shit. he crashed his bike right?  
@shrfkyk72: @Grey is on his first season and y’all killing him already... 

_Bing!_

Their phone screens glitched, revealing their new dares. Same money, same colors and same...words. 

“Akaashi!” Bokuto called. “The watchers switched our dares!” 

That’s even fucking worse. _He’s driving?!_ The deity surely is giving him a taste of his own indulgence now. Is that even a sin worth paying for?!

He stepped back. “This is where I’m drawing the line, Bokuto-san.” 

_He...can’t._

“Akaashi...Keiji, please?” He pressed his hands together. “Please, I need you.” 

He kept his mouth shut as alarm bells rang loudly in his head. This is the moment Oikawa told them to say ‘no’ and run away, except that that was sex ed and not some road safety PSA. The sticker he held burned holes on his palm; how does anyone get away with this? 

“I can’t do this alone,” Bokuto pleaded, dropping onto his knees and holding onto his legs. “Akaashi...” 

“Bokuto-san...” He brought back his phone to his face and glared at the words.

All his life people ditched him. How can they make this work...? 

* * *

“Don’t worry, I filled the gas.” Kuroo winked, tossing the car keys back to him. “You should drive it without the roof more often.” 

Kenma rolled his eyes and stepped back inside the room. “Don’t even think of coming back here.” 

“Aw come on,” Kuroo laughed. “But okay, got you. I’ll see you later?” 

“You better will.”

With that, Kuroo left the hallway and Kenma turned the doorknob open to Atsumu’s door. What met him on the apartment is an odd silence; where did the music go? 

“Kenma! Kenma! You’re here!” Suga exclaimed, grabbing him on the arm and leading him past the crowd. “Where have you been?!” 

“Just downstairs—what’s going on?” 

“I honestly don’t know anymore,” Shirabu answered deep in his daze. Kenma followed the teen’s eyes and landed sight upon the tv, where he widened his eyes at what he saw. 

_Vroom...vroom..._

_”_ Is...is he driving—??” 

“I’m fetching Oikawa and Atsumu,” Semi said, in a lack of anything worth to say. 

Kenma gulped, hands tightening on his phone in his pockets. _Akaashi, what the fuck are you doing?_

* * *

Akaashi never knew real fear until his mom smelled tequila on his breath at 16, when he almost died crashing his motorcycle at 17, and until Oikawa saw him trying on his lipstick at 18. And now, at 19, he’s about to do one of the stupidest things he had ever done. Bokuto wrapped his arms around his torso, tighter than how he held him before. Akaashi kicked the stand off and took a deep breath. 

If he dies, this is the only thing that will ever make sense. He gripped the handles tightly using Bokuto’s riding gloves, turning them for the first time and enciting an exciting rev. It was a good thing this was an easier one to drive than his past one. 

“You ready, Bokuto-san?” I hoped they both were. Bokuto shifted behind him, chest pressing to his back. 

“...Yes.” 

“We could get arrested for this,” he stated nervously, staring at the menacing red light in front of them. Akaashi gulped as the traffic light slowly counted down to turn it yellow.

“I know. I got you, Akaashi.” 

_You better do. I trust you more than I trust me._

“Guide me, Bokuto-san.” He took one last breath of fresh air before flipping the helmet’s visor. “Keep your eyes open, okay?!” 

“Yes, Akaashi.” For someone who drives for fun, the man seemed much more anxious than usual. “I trust that you drove before?” 

Ah, so that’s why. Tokyo F***king Japan, as the sticker stuck to his visor said, here they go. 

“Yes, I did. You got to talk to me, Bokuto-san...!” He pushed them off as the light turned green. Riding is one of the greatest joys in life, and it’s very true at the first few seconds he drove. As much as he can remember how to drive, he still had to be okay with the emotional state it puts him in, especially blindfolded. 

And the man behind him, too. 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made a twitter for y’all to trashtalk me: @keicros.


	5. Bikes and Bitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Akaashi and Bokuto’s life-threatening dare, Oikawa finds it hard to let everything sink in. Who will be Nerve’s darling now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all thank you for the feedback! Enjoy reading! 
> 
> twitter: @keicros

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖎𝖛𝖊  
𝐁𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬

“Akaashi’s what?!” Atsumu, fresh from throwing up at the bathroom, pushed past the crowd and collapsed at his seatee. “Oh no...” 

“Oh no indeed.” Shirabu, Kageyama, Kenma and Semi stared at the screen in the same shock, standing still beside him.

“Oh my god, Sugawara!” Oikawa’s voice is heard from the back of his apartment. “You told me we can go uninterrupted and—“ 

“Akaashi’s driving blindfolded.” 

“He what?!” 

* * *

For the first few seconds, he focused on keeping the balance and getting used on the cycle’s form. From the way the seats were laid, Bokuto leaned behind him heavily, his chest pressing deeply on his back. 

“Left, left,” Bokuto said. “Nice.”

Since he never got a motorcycle and road safety PSA his entire life, at least he got Sex Ed. One of the first, most important things he learned is that communication is both essential and also kind of a bitch. 

_Akaashi, relax. It’s just like sex, talking is important._

“Are we good?” he asked, just to be safe.

“Yeah, I think—shit!” Suddenly, Bokuto’s breath hitched. A horn blew their way and Bokuto grabbed his torso and turned them to the right. 

“Oi, kids!” an unknown voice shouted. “Watch where you’re going!” 

_Holy fuck_...

“I’m sorry!” Bokuto yelled back. Akaashi’s heart beat loudly in his chest. _Is that...?!_

“IS THAT A TAXI?!” he shouted, making Bokuto jump. The man hummed, gripping onto his jacket even tighter. In both shock and amazement, Akaashi continued. “Did...did that just work?!” 

“What worked?” He can almost see the tilted head of confusion in the darkness of the helmet. 

“You lean!” 

“...Oh yes, I think...!” Bokuto said, catching his breath back. He shifted them slightly and held him closer. 

_Well, this might actually work._

“Okay, great!” Akaashi said. “Just hold on to me and lean, okay?” 

“I got you!” 

“I know.” He grabbed the handles and sped even more. “Speed check?” 

“28!” Bokuto read. “Coast is clear! Go!” 

“Yes, sir!” With the newly discovered lean system, they might actually come out unscathed at the end of the night. He gulped his fears away and begged his hands to stop trembling and continued. 

_It’s just like sex, except it’s not slow and steady._

“Right, right, right!” 

_It’s the exact fucking opposite of that._

“Nice! Taxi to the left, I mean, right!” 

“Bokuto-san, focus! I need you to be clear!” 

“Here! Left! Ah, shit, Akaashi!”

“Woah—!” Bokuto laughed. 

“Oh my god,” he said, “That was the lowest I ever drifted on a two-wheeler!” 

Bokuto leaned on the opposite and they’re back on their balance. Bokuto sighed, and he can feel the pumping of his chest on his back. Awaiting for the next set of directions, right or wrong, he was met with silence. 

“Bokuto-san, do I speed up?!” 

_Bokuto-san?_

* * *

The party was meant for their school’s football victory, but everyone’s eyes are glued to the flatscreen TV in suspense, muttering cheers and prayers under their lips. Everyone’s breaths were caught on their throat as the vrooms and skids of the duo player boomed in the apartment. 

Oikawa and the others had to keep reminding themselves to breath. 

“Strix never disappoints, does he?” 

They all turned to the open window, where a familiar redhead appeared and climbed in. Ushijima aka WhiteEagle stood nearby and helped him step inside. It took a couple seconds before the room erupted into gasps. 

“GUESS MONSTER?!” 

Tendou laughed, the crowd making way to get him to the front. 

“Oh, tonight’s not about me,” he said, shaking away any cheers sent his way. “I’m quitting tonight. I’m here to watch baby owl get his way.” 

The redhead made his way to the group of awestruck speechless friends. He placed his hands on Oikawa and Shirabu’s shoulders, watching the motorcycle almost swerve to a lamppost before freezing. 

“Oh,” he breathed. “I didn’t...realize it was this bad.”

“Get off me, Tendou.” Oikawa pushed the hand off his shoulder harshly, drinking slowly. “We’re still not on good terms after last seaso—“ 

“WOAH—!” 

They all flinched when the motorbike ran a red light. 

* * *

Bokuto inhaled sharply. 

When he was in highschool, not very long ago, he had done a lot of dumb shit. He can admit that much. It included setting the pile of exam paper pile on his teacher’s desk on fire (on accident) and jumping Fukurodani’s school fences to meet with his bestfriend Kuroo and set a tree on fire (not on accident). On his defense, at least he doesn’t do drugs or murder people.

Counting all that stupidity he did as a member of the youth, the cringiest his highschool self had done is when he dyed his hair gray and it didn’t wash off despite claiming to be washable. It was Kuroo’s dare on this game called Nerve. Now, just one year after graduating, he found himself in the worst thing he had ever done. 

“Bokuto-san?” he asked, knocking Bokuto out of his silence. “You got to be my eyes! Are we on the next intersection?” 

“Yes!” he replied, practically fisting Akaashi’s shirt on the front. The traffic light ahead glared an angry red. A menacing and haunting shade of traffic-light _red_. 

“Next light is green!” 

He swallowed. Just how many times would he lie? He shook his head once more, hoping it was enough to douse his conscience to shut up until they at least get the dare over with. 

Alive, hopefully. 

“Then?” Akaashi asked. 

Another red light. 

“Green!” 

“Very good, Bokuto-san.” 

_Damn it, Akaashi! I’m lying! Why do you trust me so much?!_ He wanted to scream, cry and punch something. How many times have he lied by now? He haven’t lied this much before, who in the world did he become? 

In the course of his Nerve career as Strix, all he did was just harmless pranks; emphasis on harmless. He once called Dominos and asked for Pizza Hut’s number, stole a donut from a child on the streets and he also once licked a toilet seat. The most harmful thing he did on his early career was when he ran 2 laps with Kuroo around the city wearing 6-inch heels. _Ah, that hurts like a bitch._

WЗ CONTROL YOUЯ LIF3, @Strix 

Then he became a prisoner. 

Ever since, his life is full of danger, lies, and more danger. He took a deep breath and mentally apologized to the newbie he had the gall to call his partner in crime. _I’m sorry, Akaashi, but I want us to live. I can’t say anything._

“Green!” He lied once more. “We’re on 36, speed up!” 

“Yes, sir.”

The worst part that makes things more difficult is how much this man trusts him. It made him interested the first time when they drove to the city, he won’t deny that, but it’s starting to trouble him deep inside. 

“...” 

“Come on, stay with me, what’s going on?” Akaashi asked, squinting his eyes as much as he could through the sticker to no avail. Bokuto inhaled sharply, instead relishing on the fact at least someone trusts him this time. 

* * *

Shirabu’s on his way to get a paper bag to get him over his hyperventilation. On his other side, Suga discarded his cup and instead held and squeezed Daichi in anticipation and fear. 

“No way he’s doing this,” Kageyama breathed as the crowd started to regain their senses and opted to upvote Strix and Grey on Nerve. Kenma disappeared a while ago back to Atsumu’s bedroom, while Semi remained beside him with Tendou subconsciously nipping at his nails in anxiety. The entire room either cheered for Akaashi or watched in concern—he’s either going to die or he’ll live as a hero. 

In the middle, Oikawa stared speechlessly. He doesn’t know which is worse. He downed his drink at once, ignoring Iwaizumi and Tendou who tailed beside him unsure what to do. 

_“Come on, stay with me, what’s going on?!”_

“Sidebet 50 if Strix lies again!” He heard Suna whisper to Kita nearby, who was thankfully one of the watchers who’s more concerned than celebratory. 

“Is he gonna...?!” one of the watchers gasped. 

“I’m going to punch some sense into this guy later,” Tendou sighed, watching intently. “I swear if he lies one more ti—“ 

_“Next light is green!”_

“Knew it, owlette.” Tendou groaned, narrowing his eyes at Strix. The crowd continued, flinching when a truck came straight to the duo, only to be dodged when Bokuto leaned at the last second. 

“TAKE IT HOME, GREY!” the people cheered. Oikawa looked at them with a glare. _The fuck is wrong with these people?!_

“An ambulance is gonna get called tonight, I’m calling it—“ 

“Please shut up.” Oikawa slapped Atsumu’s mouth gently. 

* * *

“IS THAT A CAR WE ALMOST HIT?!” Akaashi screamed this time, hands failing to keep steady. At this, Bokuto reached over and held the handle, successfully steadying them. 

“Almost!” Bokuto emphasized, peeking past Akaashi’s shoulder and glancing at the phone. 

34mph   
1:07s 

“We hit mid-thirties! Speed up!” Bokuto answered, using the other hand to caress his torso. “Relax, Akaashi. We’re on a one way tunnel. We’re good.” 

_That’s a relief._ He sped even more and leaned onto Bokuto’s touch. “Got you.” 

_“Damn,_ Akaashi,” the other man breathed, “you’re going to kill me.” 

“What?” he asked, raising a brow. If he can see Bokuto right now, he might flip. 

“I said we’re reaching fourty!” Bokuto answered, grabbing the handlebar over his hand and sped for him. “Go, go, go!” 

“Alright!” He knew he’s basically putting himself through hell again, this time just in the name of blind trust and utter stupidity. At the back of his head, he can practically see visions of his friends’ disappointed faces. _Seriously, Akaashi?_ they asked, _You’re doing 60mph? What a coward, do 80!_

“Are we clear, Bokuto-san?!” He shook the thoughts out of his head. This is enough to show them he’s not the boring Akaashi Keiji they had him as. 

“Yes! Clear! 46...47...48...!” 

* * *

“AKAASHI! AKAASHI! AKAASHI!” The entire living room erupted into deafening cheers. Even Atsumu and Kageyama cheered under the breaths, so did Suga and Semi. Shirabu is at the side holding onto a wall for balance, probably mumbling a prayer for and onto himself. 

“Take it home, Grey!” Tendou started, being joined by their friends and his supporters. “Akaashi! Akaashi!”

“Best party ever!” 

“I’m putting money on Keiji, I swear to God.” 

“Keiji’s so cool!” 

“He and Strix should champion.” 

Oikawa felt his hands tremble. _There’s a difference between proving a point and killing yourself,_ Akaashi, he thought, staring so hard he wished he can communicate with the man right now. _Guess where you utterfuck landed this time?_

Please don’t fucking die like this. 

* * *

“Time check!” 

“Fifteen seconds!” 

_Oh?!_ Akaashi sped even more, dodging and overtaking a few vehicles with Bokuto’s guidance. “Speed?” 

“53...54...55–“ 

“Great, we’re almost there—“ 

“GREYYYYY!!!” 

A honk made Akaashi gasp in surprise, following onto the small tug Bokuto had to lean to the left. Did someone just...call him? 

“We love you Strix!!!” 

“Go Grey!!!” 

He heard a car by their left, where the voices were. Are those his fans? Watchers? He can’t help the adrenaline-induced smile he let out. He wished he can take off the helmet visor and see his fans’ faces. 

“Oh I love you too!” Bokuto replied, reaching to grip the handle over Akaashi’s hand. “Grey loves you too! Let’s go!” 

Right, they were being watched. He sure hoped his friends are on his stream right now, at least Kenma and Oikawa. He followed Bokuto’s call and sped. Just a few more seconds and— 

“58! 59! 60! Woooooh!” 

He let out a laugh and joined the celebratory scream. He pushed his visor back up and adjusted to the light, and that’s when he paused smiling.

“OH SHIT!” 

They’re headed right to a building. 

* * *

Semi’s knuckles started to turn white as he held onto Oikawa. On his other side, Atsumu and Kageyama stood closely, also having their hands pressed on his clothes. The entire room leaned onto the sight, watching Akaashi take the brakes and skid. The sight kept everyone at the edge of their seat. 

* * *

_Is this how he’s going to die?_

As Bokuto held his clothes speechlessly in the same fear, Akaashi turned to the right just as what he should have done that day at the highway. He turned the motorbike sideways and dodged the wall just a few feet ahead, and he let out a breath he didn’t realize he held. 

“We...” they both said, hopping off the bike in a daze, staring at their hands in disbelief. 

“Akaashi...” Bokuto called, walking around the motorbike and holding his body. The edges of their mouths slowly raised into the widest grins they never had. 

“WE MADE IT!” 

* * *

The living room became the loudest it had ever been. The speakers resumed playing and the crowd cheered and danced to Akaashi’s victory. Tendou even jumped to Ushijima’s arms in genuine relief.

Suga curled into Daichi shedding quiet tears, and Semi shook Shirabu harshly in speechless surprise. Iwaizumi leaned onto him and turned him around when he remained staring at the screen, enveloping him in a hug he desperately needed. 

“He’s okay, he’s okay,” Iwaizumi repeated to him, soothing down his frozen and tense shoulders. 

“AKAASHI! AKAASHI! AKAASHI!” the living room crowd resumed cheering. Iwaizumi pulled away slightly and raised his head from his chin, planting a grounding kiss to his forehead. 

“Oikawa...” 

“I...I’m okay, I think.” He pushed his head back to bury into Iwaizumi’s neck. Was it the alcohol? The fact he was called a slut on a thousand-viewer live by his real name? The fact that his friend almost died tonight? 

“AKAASHI—woah!!!” 

He turned his head to glance at the TV, where hearts from the viewers almost flooded the screen. Akaashi cupped the surprised man’s cheeks and launced himself to kiss him in the middle of Sendai. 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi stared. 

“OH MY GOOOOOOD!!!” Semi cheered, high-fiving a shocked Suga. “OUR BABY IS ALL GROWN UPPPPPP!!!” 

_Bing_! 

“What is it?” Iwaizumi asked, still watching the live feed. Oikawa opened his phone and read the notification. 

ИEЯVE >> @WhiteEagle dropped off the Top 7 Finalists! 

TOP SIX FINALISTS   
1\. @blackcat 21k views ♕  
2\. @guessmonster 20k views ♛  
3\. @Strix 19k views ♛  
4\. @Grey 19k views   
5\. @Sunshine 16k views   
6\. @MilkBread 14k views 

“Did he just...?” 

“He dropped off...!” Oikawa replied, looking at the crowd and catching a glimpse of the footballer’s olive hair. At the corner of the living room, there he stood, staring at the same notification on his phone. They watched as Tendou approached the man and offered him a drink in celebration. 

The couple met eye contact in mutual confusion. 

“I’m talking to him—“ 

“Iwa-chan, no.” Oikawa said, hastily grabbing a nearby Hanamaki’s drink and downing it. After a swift few coughs, he wiped his lips on his sleeve. “Let Ushijima drop off. It’s probably just Tendou telling him to.” 

“If you say so?” Iwaizumi replied. “Shittykawa, are you scheming something?” 

“Oh, always,” Oikawa laughed bitterly as the lights turned down low as the party around them resumed. “You must be accusing me of something specific.” 

“Oikawa...” 

“Can you do me?” 

“As a distraction?!” Iwaizumi exclaimed at the statement he had seen coming. “Is that even a good idea?” 

“Please.” Oikawa led him deeper in the crowd. “I’ll get on my knees—just please?” 

Iwaizumi didn’t resist the kiss the followed. 

* * *

Kenma hits ‘send’ and stood, grabbing his jacket and keys and didn’t even bother shutting Atsumu’s PC off. He took out his phone from Semi’s charger and proceeded to connect his earpiece as he jogged down the stairs. 

“Yo,” Kageyama greeted once he went downstairs and entered the parking lot. “Why did you call me here?” 

“Did you tell Shoyo what I told you?” He unlocked his car from the outside and tossed the keys to the milk-loving freshman. 

“Uh, yeah?” Kageyama caught the keys swiftly in one hand. “What am I supposed to do with your ke—“

“Are you drunk? Tipsy?” Kenma pressed in Yaku’s contact on his phone before pocketing it. 

“I don’t drink.” 

“Can you drive?” 

“Yes?”

“Good, hop in.” Kenma pointed to the driver’s side of the door just as he entered the passenger. He grimaced at the new smell of his convertible interior; it smelled like the city. He’ll definitely kick Kuroo to Jupiter once they met again. Kageyama sat on the driver’s seat and hesitantly turned the keys. 

“Uhm...?” 

“ _Kenma_!” 

“Hey, Yaku, I’m back,” he greeted. “So, uhm, yeah.” 

“Where am I supposed to drive?” Kageyama knocked on the steering wheel, whispering as Kenma busied himself on his phone with Yaku. Kenma just nodded to him and pointed ahead. 

“ _I don’t know if I’m supposed to be mad at you or impressed,_ ” Yaku said. “ _So, how many have you got?_ ”

“I got two off.” 

Kageyama gave him a side-eye as they drove. Kenma pointed to the left at their next turn. 

“ _Oh! Who?_ ” 

“MoonDinosaur and WhiteEagle. I also told Milkbread and Sho—Sunshine,” Kenma said, ignoring the confused glance Kageyama is sending him at the mention of his boyfriend. “Sunshine and Guess Monster will drop later.” 

“ _Did they know about...?_ ” Yaku asked. “ _Milkbread still seems pretty active. Is this for show?_ ” 

Kenma raised a brow. He sent Oikawa the same message, didn’t he? Oikawa should have seen it by now. 

“Of course. They know what to do,” he scoffed, looking at the screen on his phone that he connected to Atsumu’s modified PC. Displayed at his screen where profiles of the players he had on his grasp. “It turns out most of them are prisoners so they definitely do.” 

“ _Woah, what...?_ ” Yaku gasped, the sounds of keyboard clicks accompanying his line. “ _It’s not...obvious. I thought it’s just Kuroo and Strix._ ” 

“Kuroo’s not even a prisoner anymore.” Kenma scrolled past the profiles on his phone and stopped at the said man’s profile. “He got released last season. He ranked champion.” 

“ _Then why the fuck is he playing again?!_ ” Yaku exclaimed. “ _That stupid little—_ “ 

“Uhm?” Kageyama interrupted. “What’s going on, Kenma? Is something wrong?” 

“ _Who is that?_ ” The keyboard clicking in Yaku’s line paused for a moment. 

“Sunshine’s boyfriend.” Kenma ignored the loud ‘hey!’ from the said man. “I’ll talk to you later, Yaku. We’re on our way.” 

Once he ended the call, he turned to Kageyama and sighed. “Look, I don’t know if Shoyo told you this, but he’s in danger. You too, most probably.” 

“That boke tells me everything.” 

Kenma doubts that. He looked back down at his phone and sees the orange-haired player’s profile. 

Status: Prisoner 

“Anyways, what is it anyway?” Kageyama gave in. “Is it about his cyber info?” 

“He’s a prisoner,” Kenma admitted. “I’m sure you know what that means.” 

Much to his surprise, Kageyama only sighed in relief. “Oh, that. I thought he was cheating on me.” 

Kenma can’t help the facepalm that followed. 

“We’re going to shut Nerve down, you idiot!” 

* * *

His father once taught him that if he shot for the moon and missed, he should go take a breather and then go prepare for the universe taking Earth’s atmosphere away, killing each and every single person alive in the process. With that said, he never takes failing easily. It might as well feel like death, where he watches his pride march to the guillotine like it was Marie Antoinette—prestigious, pretentious and overly dramatic. 

The booming of the speakers was louder than ever before. Oikawa downed his nth shot and proceeded to take it all out on the dance floor, closing his eyes and hoping he can just dance the night until he blacks out and everything comes back to normal. 

He can barely register Iwaizumi as they grind on the dance floor. Nearby, his friends Suga, Semi, Atsumu, Tendou and even Shirabu jumped along the music and spilled drinks everywhere. The alcohol dulled out his urge to cry and his urge to express. In the depths of his chest, he wanted to scream so loud even if his voice is too scratched to continue. His head is a mess and so was he. 

_Bing_! 

That noise is the only thing that pulled him out of those depths and gave him a chance to breath. He pulled out his phone from his back-pocket and squinted at his phone screen that slowly went from a blur to the clearest thing he had ever seen. 

It was a dare. 

He slowly turned around to the direction of the hallway, seeing a bright red ladder being carried to the direction of the window. 

He cannot deny the shiver than ran up his spine as he downed one last drink he almost choked on. Nerve was the reason he saved himself shit tonnes of panic attacks and money. If it didn’t let him down, he can’t either. 

* * *

“Somebody go get Semi and Suga!” Kita shouted amongst the partying crowd, pushing past and grabbing Aran. 

“Kita? What’s going on?” the man asked as he was dragged back to Atsumu’s lounge, where he saw a slip of red by the open window. 

And also, a pair of legs visible balancing on the ladder. The two stared in fear. 

“Excuse me, excuse me,” Suga and Semi pushed past them. “Oh my god, Oikawa!” 

The man stood out the window, holding onto the ledge as he shook. With one end of the ladder resting on Atsumu’s window, the other perched on the window just across the U-shaped apartment. At both windows, cellphone and camera flashes blinded him almost enough to help him forget that Atsumu and Osamu’s apartment is at the sixth floor. 

Viewer Chat //   
@knmkra23: why won’t he just shut up about giving his boyfriend head? this is what u get for being so horny   
@kndchytr12: make him kneel!   
@kytnmddg19: ^^ ikr, i mean he said it himself 

_“As a distraction?! Is that even a good idea?”_

_“Please. I’ll get on my knees—just please?”_

Oikawa shivered at the memory. He just dug his own grave earlier, and somehow it kept getting deeper the more he continues breathing. 

“Tooru! You don’t have to do this!” Suga shouted. “Where is Iwaizumi?! Oikawa, get back in here!” 

“Shut up!” the man replied. Oikawa swallowed and turned on his phone, slowly letting go of the window and standing up to balance himself. The ladder shook at the slightest movement, and the wind blew coldly as if the fear wasn’t enough to make him shake. 

“MILKBREAD! MILKBREAD! MILKBREAD!” 

“OIKAWA! OIKAWA! OIKAWA!” 

The chants clouded his headspace as well as his vision. 

“SHUT UP—AH!” The moment he stepped once more, his vision blurred at the alcohol influence and he came to fall at his hands and knees. 

His right knee ended up slamming directly on one of the steps. He grimaced at the jolt of pain extending on the entirely of his right leg, numbing it almost completely. 

“Oikawa, holy fuck, be careful!” Semi shouted. “Someone find Iwaizumi!” 

Oikawa trembled at the ladder, forcing himself to move further despite his knee slamming onto the steps to support his weight. It hurts, _it hurts so bad—_

“Come on, Nerve’s darling!” The people at Osamu’s side of the apartment called, filming him with their phones and blinding him that he can’t see their face. “We thought you won’t let us down?!” 

That’s the one thing he can’t let happen. He gulped, letting the remainders of his tears freefall to the alley below. Even down there, watchers came to film him from below. Can he really be Nerve’s darling if he can’t move to the window just a few feet ahead?

“Shut up!” Semi fired them down. “Oikawa, please. You don’t have to do this!” 

He had to. 

He moved a few more feet ahead, the ladder shaking and creaking more as he moved. He held tightly at the sides of the ladder hoping it won’t fail him as much as he let himself be failed many times that night. 

“Don’t look down!” 

“Go! Go! Go!” 

“You can still turn back around!” 

At Suga’s suggestion, he turned his head back to Atsumu’s side of the window where his friends perched themselves on. “No!” 

_Turning back means he’ll fail._

He looked back ahead and down, the alley below clearly visible between the ladder’s empty steps and reminding of the certain death once he fell. 

And it’s not a joke he can deny himself this time. 

“Oikawa!” Iwaizumi’s voice called. “What the fuck—Oikawa! No!” 

With that fear, he could have easily died from fright alone. He kept his head ahead, apologizing to Iwaizumi and the fact he made him get him a drink to go escape, and forced his aching body to move forward. 

“It’s just a game!” Semi shouted. 

“Take your time, darling!” another masked watcher contradicted. 

“Tooru! Please!” Iwaizumi called by the window. 

He didn’t turn. 

“Iwaizumi, grab him!” Suga called. At this, Oikawa took another shaky push forward. What did he deserve to be hurt like this by the very thing he trusted? He tried to ignore the ache in his chest, the castle where his pride sits pretty, and told himself it has to be him or else Akaashi would be right—he’s just a rude queen-wannabe who sluts around campus because he’s just as boring in any other way. That was the bottom line of it all. He was the kind of person people love to watch but are internally glad they never got to meet. 

If Atsumu got this dare, he can just go run upright and reach the other side with ease. If Shirabu got this dare, he can crawl his way across fine with minimal shaking being lightweight. If Tendou or Ushijima got this dare, they can get it over with as the every other thing they managed to go through. Then, if Akaashi got this dare— 

“AH—!” Oikawa crawled once more, only for his knee to slip past the ladder step. 

“OIKAWA!!!” 

He gasped as his left leg fell through, his body thin enough to almost fit in that one gap. His life seemed to flash in his eyes at this near-death—there really no easy way to shoot the moon and simply miss. 

“Please come back!” 

“Just bail!” 

“Maybe, if you were a better player, you could leave behind a legacy instead of a corpse—“ 

“That’s enough, motherfucker! What did you just say?!” Past the ringing in his ears, he can hear a commotion and a few dozen punches from where Iwaizumi, Suga and Semi should have been. Oikawa’s figure trembled on the ladder, helpless and stuck. 

_What did he do to deserve this_? he thought to himself as he laid there, trembling in fear and pain. 

“Get up!” 

“Don’t listen to him!” 

“You can still make it!” 

It was the worst part. 

“Stop yelling at me!” he finally spoke, tears flowing freely down his face. As he laid flat on the ladder, one leg dangling down and the other injured one supporting his weight, he let out the words he swore to never utter. “I bail, I bail!” 

ИEЯVE >> @MilkBread dropped off the Top 6 Finalists! 

TOP FIVE FINALISTS   
1\. @blackcat 23k views ♕  
2\. @guessmonster 22k views ♛  
3\. @Strix 22k views ♛  
4\. @Grey 21k views   
5\. @Sunshine 19k views 

// 

Kageyama and Kenma stared at the lonely road ahead, devoid of anything but the ignored store lights and the occasional vendor lurking around. As the stream ceased to a glitching pause, the words “BAILED” twirling in neon yellow across the screen, they let out a breath they were holding. 

Slowly, @MilkBread’s stream ceased to exist. 

“Maybe...maybe we should go back for a second.” 

Kenma remained at his seat, summoning enough will to break out of the speechless shock to tap Kageyama. He turned the keys once more and they rolled out of the sidewalk they temporarily parked on. 

Kenma blinked. He should have told Oikawa the plan in person. 

Kuroo || THAT STICKER WAS FOR A MOTORCYCLE BLINDFOLD DARE?!   
Kuroo || I’m so sorry! I didn’t know! 

“Fuck...” He is involved in both of his friends’ near-death. 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello yees and haws, I’ll upload by Monday. I’m currently having trouble with the stuff that goes around at home: my printer broke and I have to do some medical things too. Hope everyone understands? Luvluv, keicros.


	6. Understated Sense of Humor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said Monday. I didn’t say which one. 
> 
> Nah, jk. I just took a break because of life. Here we go.
> 
> Edit 8/10/2020: lmao shit  
> Edit 12/12/2020: hell fuck i forgot this exists aaaa okay

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖎𝖝  
𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫

“GREY! GREY!” 

It was the sounds that first met them at Atsumu’s door. The music, cheering and flashing lights flooded the outside hallway that welcomed them. 

“We’re here.” Bokuto smiled and whispered to him. “No need to thank me for bringing you here. The least I can do, right?” 

“Bokuto-san...” He looked up and met those golden eyes, the one that led him in their rollercoaster of a night. 

“May I lead you in, my world?” With all eyes and cameras on them, Bokuto smiled at him and dramatically offered a hand, which he took with a delighted smile. A tingling feeling bubbled across his chest, something akin to the nirvana people talked about when they...fall in love. 

“Strix is here!” The cheers continued, but past Akaashi’s ears, they muted. All he can see is the closest star that currently held his hand, gave him a long night to remember and quite hopefully days more. They marched in with the widest smiles brandishing their luxury suits, the reason his Sun had to bring him here despite their disheveled mess. In Akaashi’s humble case, the front of his suit is slightly wrinkled with how Bokuto fisted it when they rode. 

Nothing sexual, really. 

“STRIXXXX! GREYYY!” 

“Hey, hey, hey!” Bokuto waved to his following. “Akaashi, this is so cool!” 

“Is it, Bokuto-san?” Akaashi turned. “You’re way cooler than this.” 

“Really?” As they walked in, a familiar face suddenly broke the crowd. 

“Welcome! Welcome!” Atsumu greeted with open arms, patting the duo on their shoulders. “Long time no see, Strix.” 

“Uhm, who are you again?” Bokuto raised a brow, scanning the drunk blonde man’s face. “Don’t tell me...oh my god—Onigiri? Season sixty-nine’s semifinalist?” 

“What? I—“ 

“That’s me.” Osamu pushed past, elbowing his twin brother away and offering his hand to Bokuto instead. “Nice to meet a former champion.” 

Bokuto nodded in hesitance as they shook hands, shrugging at Akaashi who only shrugged back and smiled in response. Another familiar face broke past the crowd and waved over to them.

“Strix!” Tendou said, also offering his hand. “Greetings, my miracle owl boy! From player two to player three.” 

“G-Guess Monster’s here?!” Bokuto erupted into a huge smile, making Akaashi smile at the adorable way he jumped up in excitement. “Oh my god—Wait, player three?” 

Akaashi also furrowed his brows in confusion as well. 

“Strix is rank three,” Osamu stated, making the man gasp in surprise.

“Did you hear that?!” Bokuto then turned to his partner in amazement. “Akaashi, this place is amazing! This party is filled with players!” 

It had to be. Bokuto took him on the best night of his life. Maybe it’s time for him to return the favor. 

“Bokuto-san!” 

“...Yes?” He turned, handsome as ever. 

“Want me to introduce the others to you?”

Upon Bokuto’s excited nodding, he held his hand and led him inside. If there’s anything he’s good at, he can memorize a lot of players just from watching. They dodged some cellphones pointed at them on their way inside the living room. 

“That’s White Eagle over there.” He pointed at Ushijima, currently standing by a door near Tendou, who busied himself with the Miya twins. Bokuto waved shyly, which was returned by the quarterback with an even shyer wave. “If you played last season, you might recognize some of my friends.” 

At that, Bokuto perked up. “Oh! Where?” 

Akaashi scanned the place before spotting a dusty light brunette. “Over there, that’s my friend. He played as Shirasu54.” 

“Oh! That’s Shirasu?” 

“Yep.” 

Shirabu looked up from his phone the moment his former username and favorite food was called, his eyes landing and meeting Bokuto and Akaashi’s gazes. He immediately stood and walked to the dark-haired man. 

They paused when they saw the other teen’s glare. 

“What’s the big idea, ‘Kaashi?” Shirabu suddenly spat, sneering at the couple.

“Huh? I—“

The two were interrupted when Bokuto snapped his fingers in memory. 

“Wait, you’re the one who failed the bridge dare last season, right? You are partners with Guess Monster and White Eagle!” he stated excitedly, grinning in recognition. 

Shirabu crunched up his nose in distaste, giving Bokuto a nasty look before walking away. “Don’t talk to me, I don’t know you. We’re not friends.” 

Akaashi opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again when Shirabu marched away and disappeared down the hall. He sighed. 

“What’s his problem?” Bokuto asked, as to where Akaashi can only shrug. 

“Somebody might have pissed him off earlier in the night. Probably Atsumu or Semi. Or Tendou. Nevermind.” Akaashi shook the thoughts away and scanned the room for the food. “Do you want me to get you something—“ 

That’s when the loudest screech was heard behind them. 

“AKAAAAAAAASHI!” 

They both turned around. Suddenly, a warm embrace wrapped Akaashi, gray hair enveloping his vision. When the man pulled away, he was met with teary eyes and sobs.

“...Suga?!” 

“You idiot!” Suga hugged him again. Akaashi met eyes with Bokuto past the man’s shoulder, who smiled at the wholesome sight. “You almost died there!” 

Oh, he was very well aware. 

“I know,” he breathed, sighing in comfort in Suga’s embrace. Good thing not _everyone_ was drunk. “Where are the others?” 

“Kenma and Kageyama probably found some quiet place to retreat to,” Suga said, looking just as unsure. “And Oikawa...uhm...” 

_Oikawa?_ That’s right, he haven’t seen him since they left the milkshake house. 

“What is it? Where is he?” Akaashi asked, sharing increasingly concerned eye contact with Bokuto. The said man went close to him, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. Suga then pulled away, remaining silent and playing with his fingers. “Suga?”

Daichi walked close, hovering over nearby. “You mean you didn’t know, kid?” 

“Know what?” Akaashi gulped nervously. Daichi then pointed to the lounge hallway, where an open window sits. The raven-haired man furrowed his eyebrows until his focus landed at the sight of a red ladder perched at the window ledge. 

“He just tried to walk across that ladder and failed,” Daichi whispered. 

“What? Is...is he okay?” Akaashi asked, looking at Daichi and Suga in worry. “He’s out of the game then?” 

“Yeah,” Suga finally answered. “Don’t ask. It wasn’t pretty.” 

The tingling feeling in his chest suddenly got washed over by worry, something bitter and choking. He gulped and settled on feeling Bokuto and his friends’ warmth near him. Knowing his bestfriend of two—almost three—years, Oikawa can and will always have the tendency to get himself as close to certain death as he can.

Bad luck follows the man wherever he goes. 

“Is he okay?” Akaashi asked, scanning the room in search of the brunet. In the crowd, Semi met his eyes and remained silent, sipping on his cup and acting like he wasn’t there. Akaashi felt his heart sink in his chest. Shirabu probably told him he arrived.

Daichi pointed to Atsumu’s guest bedroom across the hall. “In there.” 

Akaashi wasted no time. He took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts. Admitting the craziness he got himself into the entire night, he just disappeared for a few hours and now everything had gone to shit? Kenma and Kageyama are missing, Shirabu and Semi won’t even talk to him, Suga can’t look him in the eyes, Atsumu is probably too drunk to register things, and Oikawa... 

“Okay, thank you.” He gave Daichi and Suga a nod of appreciation before leading Bokuto to the hall. The man followed as per the grip he had on his sleeve.

“Are you sure you need me there?” Bokuto asked, pulling his hand back. At the seclusion of the bedroom hallway, he remained speaking at his lowest voice, reserved for Akaashi and only Akaashi. 

“You wait here then.” Slowly, he opened the door Daichi pointed to. Amidst the darkness laid two figures kissing on the bed.

“Oh...” Bokuto stepped away, tearing his eyes away and flushing red. Meanwhile, Akaashi gaped at the sight, eyes wide. 

“Oikawa...?” 

The couple finally noticed them, with Iwaizumi jolting upright first and turning away to find his jeans. Oikawa remained on his elbows before slowly looking at Akaashi with a crooked smile. 

“Oh! Keiji, _darling_ ,” he called, the words sliding out in spite. Oikawa sat up as he rebuttoned his open shirt, Iwaizumi dressing himself up behind the door. “What brought you here? Long time no see.” 

“Oikawa-san, are you okay?” he asked first as the brunet walked past him out of the door, bumping his shoulder. “I heard about the ladder, what happened?” 

With better lighting shining over them, Akaashi saw Oikawa’s messy hair, disheveled clothes and the white braces on his knees he had only worn once before, back when he was told he almost can’t walk for the rest of his life.

Akaashi gulped. 

“Oh! I’m fine, I’m fine,” the brunet answered, wiping post-blowjob tears and putting in his best sad smile. Bokuto and Akaashi stood idly as Oikawa walked out of the hallway, only to be followed by Akaashi back to the living room space. 

“Oikawa!” he called. “I—“ 

“Don’t even start with me, Keiji.” Oikawa’s voice lowered in warning.

“I just...” Akaashi started, “Are you really okay? How much did you drink? That’s not healthy.”

Oikawa bursted in laughter. “Jesus, you’re so fucking fake!” 

He turned around sharply and spat on his face, smell of alcohol meeting Akaashi. Up close, Oikawa’s eyes looked puffy red and bloodshot from more unshed tears. “You’re suddenly concerned about me? Well, _you_ insulting _me_ in front of the world isn’t healthy either and yet here we are.”

“What?” Akaashi gasped, looking at the gray-haired man behind him. Bokuto, just as confused, reached for his phone in his coat pocket and groaned at the blinking red ‘Live’ at their stream. 

SHIT.

“They all heard that?” Akaashi stated in disbelief.

_Is that why Semi and Shirabu were mad? Why Kenma and Kageyama are missing?_

He dragged his hand over his face and took a deep breath, meeting Oikawa’s bloodshot eyes squarely. “You know what? I’m not taking my words back. I stand by everything I said. It’s about time you all know anyway.” 

Bokuto looked up in alarm, looking between the two. Other people started to glance at their direction. 

“Wow, baby Keiji had guts now!” Oikawa cheered sarcastically. “All because he found himself a good game, a good dare and a good asshole.” He gestured behind Akaashi, where Bokuto stood. 

“M-me?” Bokuto widened his eyes when Oikawa pointed at him. Akaashi broke the tensity when he stepped between the two.

“You leave Bokuto out of this.” 

“Oh, real name basis now huh?” Oikawa laughed, grabbing a nearby cup from a standing-by Matsukawa and quenching is overdue thirst. After downing it in one gulp, he continued. “Nerve changed you Akaashi. You’re not the friend I used to have.” 

“So you’re saying that I’m only your friend when I’m being quiet, is that it?” Akaashi said, staring deep in Oikawa’s eyes with pain. “The entire night I felt just as _used_ as I do when I’m with you but this time at least I get to enjoy it. Why can’t you just be happy for me?” 

“You should have known that they’re going to use the things you love against you. That’s what Nerve does! That’s what Nerve players do!” Oikawa explained, coming after his underclassman. 

“What do you mean?” Akaashi asked exasperatedly. 

Instead of answering, Oikawa met Bokuto’s eyes once more, ignoring his friend. “Oh and don’t think we haven’t seen that kiss either. We fucking saw everything.” 

Ignoring the embarassment of being exposed and watched, Akaashi tapped Bokuto and eased him that he’ll lead. _I got this, please stay back,_ he meant to say. 

“And what do you know about love, Oikawa-san?” Akaashi started loudly, hands turning into tight fists by his side as he kept his voice low. “You think you’re an expert now because you had enough lovers to make every single day on the calendar an anniversary?” 

The crowd around them gasped at the roast, finally turning to look at them and proceeding to being out phones to film. Oikawa widened his eyes at the statement and angrily wiped the forming tears away from his cheeks. 

“I’m telling you that this man, this _fucking_ stranger that almost killed you.” Oikawa pointed to Bokuto, who stood just behind Akaashi. “He's going to break you! He probably already did! But you know what? You're going to love him anyway. The Akaashi I know won’t let that happen.” His voice cracked at the last sentence. 

“Why does it sound like I did something bad?! Seriously?” Akaashi asked in confusion and exasperation.

“Because that’s not okay!” Oikawa laughed. “And you know what else is not okay? I almost died tonight, Keiji! And where were you then?” 

“...”

Oikawa continued upon the silence, voice breaking in multiple words. “Over there, in the fucking metropolis, kissing a stranger who you don’t even know the real name of!” 

He wanted to believe that his bestfriend is just drunk, but it didn’t make the words any less striking. The floor seemed to sway under his feet in offense. Akaashi turned to Bokuto in inquiry, who only looked at Oikawa in confusion. “Aren’t those what strangers are...?” 

Oikawa glared at the man. “You’re not a part of this, Strix! Shut up!”

“Hey, you don’t know me,” Bokuto replied, making Oikawa roll his eyes. 

“Oh yeah, Mr. Green-Red Colorblind likes Akaashi now? What, love in the first shoplift?”

 _Green-red colorblind?_ Akaashi thought just before he noticed Bokuto made a move to push his sleeves up. At this, he placed a hand on Bokuto’s chest, stopping him. He instead turned to Oikawa and stepped closer, pulling out curious gasps from the watching crowd. 

“Okay! So maybe you and every single one in this house heard what I’ve said! Do you want me to apologize for that?” Akaashi clenched his jaw, gesturing to the crowd that gathered around them watching every move. 

“You’re much more of a fake ass bastard if you think what you said is not worth apologizing for,” Oikawa laughed. “You insulted your friends, called us rude and me a slut, as if I wasn’t the reason you even had friends in the first place!” 

Akaashi inhaled sharply. 

“You’re so entitled!” Akaashi said, eyes hovering at him in realization and pity, his voice more sad than angry. “You think the world revolves around you when it doesn’t. It’s so sad! I’m sorry you’re like that.” 

Oikawa speechlessly gasped.

“Let’s just go, Bokuto-san.” When Akaashi grabbed Bokuto and turned to cut through the crowd, Oikawa wiped his tears aggressively before following the couple. 

“Have I already told you you're such a bitch?” Oikawa shouted, prompting another gasp from the crowd. He reached over to the junior's shoulder and held him back. Akaashi turned around sharply and met the glare, shrugging the hand off harshly.

“Yes, but you can tell me that again and again and I won’t care anymore,” Akaashi said. “I’m doing what’s best for me. You’re just insecure because it turns out _someone like me_ can be more fun than _someone like you._ ” 

“Damn!” The crowd cheered and laughed. 

“Hey, you two! Stop it!” Semi finally appeared, walking between the two and gesturing for Suga and Shirabu to take care of the people filming. “Please stop filming!”

“Oikawa, you’re just drunk,” Shirabu stated, moving to the brunet and holding him back by the shoulders. 

“That’s it!” Akaashi glared daggers. He proceeded to march to the senior in anger, making Bokuto hop out of his breezy daze and hold him back, hooking Akaashi from his shoulders with his arms. 

“Oh try me bitch.” Oikawa clapped his hands sarcastically, smiling despite the pain in his chest and the rest of his body. Akaashi reached forward past Bokuto’s restraints, which only strengthened with each attempt. 

“Fuck you, Oikawa! Your “nihilist” lifestyle is a joke! You’re not a nihilist! You’re impractical at the least and hedonistic at the most!” Akaashi announced, voice breaking in tears and roughly pointing at the tall man's chest. “I don’t know why you’re so mad at me when you treated me like shit half the time! I _fucking_ love you, Oikawa. You were my friend when nobody else was. Are you even _aware_ of the shit I had to deal with? All the shit you put me through?” 

The man looked at him with his jaw clenched and his eyes bloodshot of the alcohol and tears. 

“Are you mad at me because I’m happier than I was with you? With every single one of you?” he sobbed. Semi and Suga froze, widening their eyes at each other at Akaashi’s remark. 

“Um, Keiji. Stop.” Akaashi only glanced at Shirabu, shocking the bowl-cut blonde that he remained at the sidelines. Akaashi continued, tears streaming down his face. 

All his highschool career, he practically lived in Oikawa’s shadow. From the day he was welcomed in highschool up to that point, Akaashi stood by him and yet never with him. All the years of suppressed rage from the indifference boiled at the bottom of Akaashi’s chest, rising up as warm tears and a clenched jaw. He cannot believe he used to spend his birthdays at Oikawa’s house, spent a lot of money to afford the hangouts Oikawa planned, and spent a lot of nights trying to watch over everyone to make sure none of them will die of alcohol poisoning. What exactly did he get in return? 

Not fucking much.

“You know, you're the kind of guy that peaks in highschool. When this is all over, what makes you cool right now will make you a loser in your twenties,” Akaashi paused, wiping his tear-streaked face on his expensive coat sleeve, making Bokuto let go. “And I swear, you will find yourself three years from now still screwing the same guys, still miserable in your Instagrammable life, still choking on the same stupid milkshake and wondering why the hell you wasted your life!” 

Angry tears rolled down both the men's cheeks as the living room fell into gasps. The crowd settled in hushed whispers and camera shutters as the two outglared each other, only to be broken when Oikawa shook his head in disbelief and stepped back. 

“Wow...” he choked back a sob.

“Oikawa!” The first ones to move was Semi and then Suga, who mumbled their own messages of comfort to the brunet. 

“Oikawa...?” Iwaizumi finally pushed past the crowd, fully dressed and dropping the drinks he held when he saw the teary-eyed angry duo in the middle. He immediately rushed to his boyfriend’s side, eyeing Akaashi until his eyes landed at the man behind him. “Bokuto?”

“Iwaizumi...?” 

The men held the glares exchanged. Bokuto avoided glances first, and Iwaizumi busied himself with tending to Oikawa’s tears. Then, the murmurs of the surrounding crowd was crashed by small mumbles of “Excuse me”s. Kenma suddenly appeared in front of the fight, panting for breath. 

“Hey, Akaashi.”

The man flinched away at Kenma’s attempt to touch. Akaashi sniffed and wiped his face clean on his expensive suit’s sleeve, getting himself together in the midst of confrontation. Kenma met Bokuto's worried gaze from behind him and returned it with a glare. 

“I...” Bokuto hesitantly started, now being glared at not just by Iwaizumi but also Kenma. Unlike the former, Kenma turned to Akaashi and spoke out. Bokuto released Akaashi in panic. 

“There's something you need to know about Strixー” Kenma said, being interrupted by the said player.

“No, Akaashi, listen to meー”

 _Bing_!

The two were gone ignored when a loud ping caught Akaashi's attention instead. He looked down at his phone, prompting most of the viewers to look at the dare notification as well. Oikawa turned to look at Suga's tv screen, until he widened his eyes at stared at Akaashi. 

There was nothing but determination in Akaashi's eyes. 

Finish MilkBread’s Dare   
$15,000 

“No way,” Oikawa gasped. It was joined by the crowd’s excitement and shock. 

Akaashi cleared his throat and pocketed his phone. Meeting the eyes of the man who did almost nothing except use him as a decoration, he stood straight and put on his most challenging stare. It’s now or never; if he can’t do this, he’ll live forever in Oikawa’s shadow. 

“You want to know where I am from now on, Oikawa-san? Sign up and watch me.” 

Heaven knows how tired he was of that pain. 

“Akaashi!” Bokuto called as he marched to the window, crouching down and slipping past the ledge. Oikawa and the rest watched in disbelief, others of amusement. The sound of creaking as Akaashi stepped up to the ladder gathered the crowd and his friends to the window. 

“Akaashi! Akaashi, you don’t have to do this,” Bokuto said amongst the noisy crowd, first in line and closest to the ladder. “Please, let’s just go.” 

Akaashi met Oikawa’s eyes once more before letting go of the ledge—blue against brown—raising his arms in balance and support. The same phones filming crowded the window and the one across, but this time, Akaashi doesn’t have to kneel. 

He never had to kneel, for anything, for anyone. 

Oikawa held onto the edge of the ladder, Bokuto and Iwaizumi at his right and their speechless friends nearby. He shook his head in denial at what he’s seeing. 

_There’s literally no way, right?_

“Akaashi, please! What do you have to prove?” Bokuto pleaded. 

“Grey’s going to win this, I swear.” 

“Go, Akaashi. Be careful!” 

Bokuto’s words came blended with everyone else’s cheers and statements. Oikawa watched with his own eyes as Akaashi’s knees and arms trembled less than his, how the ladder supported his posture and weight better, and how he slowly yet steadily walked on the steps until he was halfway there. 

At the other window, Tendou, Ushijima, Kita, Aran and the others waited, some reaching to hopefully catch Akaashi. Meanwhile, the others filmed and held the ladder steady. Akaashi breathed heavily as the wind blew sideways, pushing his coat back and making him shake and shiver. 

“Akaashi!” Suga whispered under his breath, holding onto Semi and Shirabu who were just as shocked themselves. “Holy shit, please!”

“...Fuck.” Oikawa barely noticed Bokuto leaving to go around the apartment to the other side as Akaashi continued nonetheless, still steady at the same wind that knocked him out of his paradise game. In a few more seconds, Akaashi sped on the last few steps and reached the other window ledge. 

Oikawa watched the world crumble in front of him.

So did his pride.

So did his ego. 

“AKAASHI!” 

“GREY! GREY! GREY!” 

Bokuto appeared at the other side and helped Akaashi hop off and back down. Oikawa can barely feel Iwaizumi holding him when Akaashi turned one last time and met his eyes in an intensity he had never seen before. 

Separated by the ladder’s length, peeking on opposite windows with a cliff of certain fall between, Oikawa watched Akaashi turn his back on him and disappear. 

* * *

“AKAASHI!” Bokuto called the moment he reached the other side. 

_Bing_! 

You are in the TOP THREE! 

“Let’s get out of here, Bokuto-san.” He held onto the warm. hand and led him out. Bokuto and Akaashi pushed past the cheering party crowd and beelined to the door. With the said door only a few feet ahead, he reached out to the knob only to be interrupted by a hand. 

“Kenma...” 

The pudding head stood between them and the door, hair messy of obvious rush. “Akaashi, please hear me out.” 

Akaashi inhaled sharply and raised a brow, keeping his hand reaching and frozen midair. 

“First of all, that was messed up,” Kenma said. “But Akaashi, I got to tell you something about Bo—“ 

“Hey!” 

_Bokuto again?_ Akaashi closed his eyes tightly and massaged his temples. With the deafening noise of cheers and camera shutters nearby, he apologetically looked at Kenma and grabbed hold of the door knob. 

“Kenma, I’m sorry but I can't deal with this right now, I'm gonna go.” Else he might literally collapse. He opened the door and dragged him and an eerily silent Bokuto to the hallways. 

“Akaashi, do you know that he's played Nerve before?” Kenma shouted, following over to them. The couple froze at the revelation. “He’s a prisoner now.” 

_A prisoner?_

With the elevator a few feet ahead, Akaashi stopped in his tracks and stared at his hand that held Bokuto's. With his startled expression and panicked eyes, he slowly starts to let go of the hand.

“No, no, I’m not!” Bokuto reached for him again and hurries him to the elevator. Kenma follows again; if he’s actually taking effort to run, Akaashi knew it has importance. 

A prisoner? It doesn’t sound good.

“It means he will do anything to win now! His stake his higher than normal players like you.” 

“What?” he finally spoke. “Bokuto-san?” 

The elevator doors open in front of them and Bokuto pushed the both of them in. Kenma, as well as a concerned Semi followed and reached out to a shocked Akaashi. 

“It was his dare to get you here and fight with Oikawa!” Kenma added, such small voice obviously not used to shouting. “That's why he brought you here!” 

“He also lied to you about the traffic lights!” Semi added. “You both ran past reds!” 

“Look!” Kenma stated, panting as the elevator doors started to close between the four of them. “Do you still trust him?” 

“Wait, wait!” Semi reached out only for his hand to fall flat on the elevator doors. For the second time that night, he found himself in a cold elevator with a man he didn’t know the real name of. 

It was quiet for a few moments inside. 

“Is it true?” Akaashi wrapped his hands around himself, stepping away much to the gray-haired man’s horror. He slapped away the hand that reached for him. “Bokuto-san, did you take me here as part of the game? You lied to me about the lights?” 

His lungs denied oxygen as Bokuto avoided eye contact in guilt. 

“Answer me, Bokuto-san. Is it true?” 

Bokuto stared at him in desperation. “Akaashi.” 

Oh, no, no. “What is happening?!”

* * *

“Kenma!” Suga walked out of the apartment and met with the two standing in front of the closed lift. “Where did he go?” 

Kenma narrowed his eyes at the elevator and inhaled sharply. Suga groaned. “Well, have you seen Kageyama? Where have you been? He’s also out, is he with you?” 

The pudding head kept his mouth shut and instead pulled out his phone to ring his trusty contacts. If he can’t talk Akaashi out easily, then he and Kuroo needed a backup plan. And someone else to make it work, too. 

“I need to think, I need to think,” he chanted. “Suga, Semi, no time to explain. Gather everyone vaguely helpful to the parking lot, asap.” 

“Vaguely helpful...?” Semi repeated, shrugging when Suga also looked in confusion. 

“I had _enough_ of this.” Kenma spat in annoyance when Yaku didn’t pick up. He pressed on Lev’s contact instead, brisk walking past his friends and to the stairs. “Please just do it. I’ll explain in the car.” 

The twin-like seniors looked at each other before Kenma disappeared down the stairs. They paused before walking back to the apartment. 

“I’ll find Shirabu.” 

“I’ll get Oikawa.” 

They froze, looking at each other when they chorused. The two gray-haired men narrowed their eyes before racing the rest of the way. 

“And you get Atsumu.” They pointed to each other before groaning. 

* * *

“What are you _doing_?” Akaashi sniffled as Bokuto went closer, holding his hands in his fist and cornering him. He snuggled even more to the corner of the elevator.

“It's more complicated than that,” his partner pleaded. “Just hear me out, please?” 

Akaashi fought back the urge to cry, slapping away Bokuto’s hands that reached for him. 

“I just lost my best friends tonight!” he exclaimed, “All six of them! How much did you get for that?!” 

Bokuto placed both of his hands on either side of Akaashi’s head, and with no escape, he met the pleading gold eyes that begged him to listen. 

“No, no, it's not about the money, alright? But I promise, I'll explain to you later.”

Akaashi remained silent for a few seconds, staring down the man as they both listened to the elevator ticking. The doors started to open. He took this chance to sigh and slide off at the space under Bokuto’s arms. 

“Just don't even bother, okay? I mean, Oikawa almost died tonight— _I_ almost died tonight!” He looked at Bokuto one more time before stepping out of the elevator, brisking past the lobby to the door. 

“I'm going to the police.” 

He can see Bokuto’s alarmed expression at the corner of his eye as he jogged out. 

“Akaashi, no, no!” A hand tightly gripped Akaashi’s wrist, yanking him back and making his cry in pain. The grip dug on to his arm and bones, sure to leave bruises under the expensive sleeves. 

“Ah! Bokuto—What are you doing?” he cried.

The man seemed to only notice his vice grip, eyes widening as he lets go of Akaashi’s wrist as if it burned him. Akaashi held it in pain, glaring at the panicking man. 

“I'm sorry, you can't do that, alright?” Bokuto whispered, eyes desperate and hands pressed together in plea. “Please, please, _please_ , you can't go to the police.” 

“Why not? Because I'll lose the game?” 

“No, it's not about that. Let me explain!” 

He scoffed, turning away and running out of the building. He had just enough of everything. He lost his friends, his lips’ virginity, then he almost robbed a luxury store, he even fucking drove a bike blindfolded! If that’s the best this night could go, he should have known it would only be downhill from there. 

“Akaashi, please! You can't go to the police. It's the last thing you wanna do!” Bokuto was quick to follow his steps, but Akaashi spotted a parked police car at the other side of the road. 

“No, Bokuto-san. I’m done, I can’t believe I trusted you,” he replied, taking a deep breath before crossing the road to the police car. 

“Akaashi, wait, I wasn't trying to hurt you. It just got out of control,” Bokuto called, stepping between him and the police at the street. They both blinked in surprise when the first of the camera shutters and flashes appeared, phones held by the watchers who came to film them once again. 

“Move, just get out of my way.” Akaashi pushed past him, ignoring the watchers at the sidewalk. “Officer!”

Bokuto took this chance to run the other direction, finding his motorbike and escaping away. Akaashi gulped and did his best gaining his breath, eyes focusing on the bored-looking police. 

“Officer, officer, I need help. I'm playing this game, it's called Nerve,” he said. “And I'm worried that someone's gonna get really hurt.” 

“Pardon, kid?” 

“I—“ 

Then, the watchers suddenly started to chant. 

“Snitch, snitch, snitch.” 

He furrowed his brows in confusion. Snitch? His phone beeped, and on the screen flashed three neon yellow words. 

SИITCHЗS GET DITCHЗS 

_To be continued..._


	7. Reach For The City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi comes to realize that spontaneity is indeed a double-edged sword, one he used to his advantage and now the same that would stab him to literal death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I messed up, it’s now February and I forgot this existed. I’ll still finish this no matter what but still. Here’s chapter 7, I guess. Enjoy reading.

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓  
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲

_Koushi is calling..._

“Suga?” Akaashi called, pressing the phone on his ear as he walked the dimly-lit sidewalks. The streets were empty save for the parked cars, the eerie yellow lampposts revealing nothing but no one. He ran away just as the watchers started to chant to him menacingly. 

“ _Honey, what's going on? Where are you?_ ” Suga’s voice was worried, and he can hear wind at the background. 

“You’re not mad at me?” His voice almost squeaked. 

“ _No? We’re worried! Where are you?_ ” 

Oh, he had no idea where he is. He continued walking and looking around. “Okay, I'm gonna fix this I promise.” 

He jumped, hearing a brush of the shrubs behind him. He turned to see an empty street. When he looked back forward, his voice died at the back of his throat when he saw a stranger in black, staring at him. 

“ _Hello? Akaashi?_ ” Suga’s concerned voice boomed from his phone in the silence of the night. 

“Who...who are you?” he asked the stranger.

The stranger in question is a shorter teen, clad with orange hair currently hidden in a black hoodie. He looked at him with regret written all over his face. 

“I'm sorry, Akaashi-senpai.” 

“What—“ A fist met his cheek. Then, blackness. 

“ _KEIJI?!_ ” Suga’s voice had gone unheard. “ _SHIT!_ ” 

* * *

_Hello, Keiji._

_You broke the rules, you are our prisoner._   
_We told you not to snitch._   
_Now we control your life._

_We control your family._

_We control your future._

_The only way out is to win the ﬁnal round._   
_Go to the XXX and the Watchers will ﬁnd you._

_See you in the ﬁnals, see you in the ﬁnals..._

* * *

Pain. 

A throbbing pain on his head met him the moment he opened his eyes. It was until a few minutes later when he finally got enough will and realization to walk around. 

He got his consciousness back and woke up in a dark alley, a vintage desktop monitor repeating the terror chant like the watchers did. Nothing but soreness conquered his entire body, mostly his head, as he pushed himself off the dark alley and walked out to the open. Looking around and seeing stacks and stacks of shipping crates, he realized he was at the port. 

_What the_ fuck _am I doing in the port—_

“I-Is that you, Grey?” 

“Jesus, what the f—“ 

He was interrupted when a hand snaked over his mouth and pulled him to the shadow of a nearby crate. He screamed in terror, only to be met by golden eyes reflecting in the dark. 

“Akaashi, it’s me! Thank God, are you okay?” 

Bokuto removed the hand that covered his mouth, eyes roaming his body to check for anything. After a few seconds of processing the shock and pain, Akaashi pushed him away. 

“Am I okay? No, I'm not okay! You need to tell me everything!” His voice cracked in fear, trying his best to hold back his tears. “What the hell is going on?!” 

“Are you hurt?!” Bokuto insisted first, holding his wrists but gentler than he did before. Akaashi took a few seconds to focus on breathing, mentally glad someone at least found him in the middle of nowhere. 

“Some orange-haired guy punched me...” he blurted out, remembering despite the headache. 

“What?” 

Akaashi struggled, escaping Bokuto’s loose grip and stepping out of the shadow and keeping his distance. “I told you! Now tell me what the hell is going on!” 

Bokuto sighed when he stepped back. Instead of running after him, he did the opposite. 

“Come here, come here.” 

The man stood with his shoulders calm, arms open and welcoming. Despite the concern and brushes of fear on his face, he can tell that Bokuto is trying to appear more calm and strong, possibly for him. 

“First, who are you?” Akaashi asked, calmer as well. “And why is this happening to me?” 

Bokuto opened his arms wider, trying his best to smile. “I’m sorry. I’ll explain it now.” 

Akaashi went back idly and took the offer of than embrace. Feeling Bokuto’s warmth soothed the tension in his body that he almost forgot it had. Bokuto hugged him tightly, relieved. 

“Is the punch everything? Does it hurt anywhere else?” his voice was soothing. Akaashi wondered if was real. At this, he remained quiet. 

“Well, that guy is Sunshine.” 

_Kageyama’s Nerve crush?_

“You knew him?” he asked, whispering. 

“Mhm, yeah,” Bokuto said as if it was unfortunate. “He, Kuroo and I—we all played Nerve at Nekoma’s last season. Him and some other players Kodzuken, GodzIwa, GuessMonster and MoonDinosaur. We were the top seven finalists.” 

“Kodzuken...? GodzIwa?” Akaashi widened his eyes, slowly breaking away from the embrace he didn’t know he needed. “You mean...?” 

“Yes, your friends Kenma and Iwaizumi,” Bokuto answered. He dragged his palms all over his face, reminiscent of the childlike persona he had all night long. “They know me. Kodzuken bleached his hair and Iwaizumi quitted Nerve. I should have recognized them quickly but—.” 

“Okay...? So?” He wrapped his hands around his body, hugging the suit closer to himself to ease from the cold and the panic. He wished he had the guts to ask for another hug, but one should be enough. He’s fine. He had to be. “Please continue because I’m going to actually cry. I can’t breathe—“ 

“What? Please don’t cry!” Bokuto widened his eyes at the sight, flailing his arms and holding him on his shoulders for support. Akaashi looked up and met worried golden eyes, blinking at him patiently. 

“Okay, uhm, so,” he started after waiting for him to breathe. “Last year, we all got the same dare to hang from a construction crane, 200 feet up in the air.” 

* * *

_PLАЧВАСК >> NEЯVE SEASON 5_

  
_Division:_

_NEKOMA DISTRICT, TOKYO, JAPAN_

“Five, four, three...” Tsukishima counted, holding onto the crane’s steel jibs only for his sneakers to slip a little on the smooth wet metal. “JESUS FUCK—two! One! GO!” 

In front of his, Kuroo, Iwaizumi and Bokuto stood, holding onto the crane’s metal bars to resist the wind trying to push them down. Underneath them, a couple feet ahead, a man hung on two arms over the sea—

“I can’t move!” 

—A sea that is 200 feet below him. 

“Ah! Shit!” Kuroo exclaimed while Bokuto stood beside him, legs frozen and hugging onto the steel for dear life. 

“Come on, Guess! You’re okay, I got you!” Iwaizumi called, reaching over and offering his hand to the struggling redhead. “Cat, you hang next! Let’s get this over with!”

“Kuroo, no! Bail!” 

At the crane’s main mast, the remaining players Hinata and Kenma—Sunshine and Kodzuken—remained. The slight precipitation had them blink a couple times up to the five men at the crane’s arm, hearts racing in fear that only four or less would come back down alive.   
  
“Iwa..!” Tendou called for help, arms already shaking.

“Shit, he's slipping!” Iwaizumi cursed, letting go of a bar to crouch down and reach for Tendou’s shirt. “Guys, help me with Guess! Fuck.” 

As the two other boys help Iwa, Tsukishima pressed the dare complete button on the phone, himself having difficulty with the slippery bars. 

“I’ll help!” Bokuto said after gaining back his senses, nodding to Kuroo. 

“Come on, grab my hand, man. Grab my hand!” Iwaizumi called. Kuroo and Bokuto also moved slowly but surely, grabbing Tendou’s other arms and helping him back up. The rain continued falling down, helping them none but blur the visibility. 

“Cat! Go and hang already!” Iwaizumi turned to the black-haired man. “We’ll get Guess. Nobody’s dying, okay?” 

“The fuck?!” Kenma shouted from the mast, voice barely heard over the rain. On his hands was his phone streaming Tsukishima’s feed, effectively hearing the conversation hundreds of feet above. “Kuroo! Bail!” 

Bokuto watched in shock as Kuroo crouched down and hung next to Tendou. “Five, four, three...!” 

“Shit, why...?!” Tendou struggled, turning to glance at Kuroo hanging beside him. 

“Strix!” Iwaizumi called over to him, grabbing him by the shirt. “Stop staring and come help me with Guess—!!!” 

“IWA!” Tsukishima, Hinata and Kenma shouted, just as when the said man’s foot slipped down a bar. 

“Iwa!” Bokuto reached down the jib, barely catching Iwaizumi’s arm when he fell through. 

Kuroo went back up, finishing his dare. He proceeded to help Tendou up and then Iwaizumi. As the five men balanced as much as they could on the slippery bars, an exasperated Kuroo turned to Bokuto. 

“Bro! Come on!” 

Bokuto froze in his spot, staring at Iwa’s near death. 

* * *

“Sunshine, Kodzuken and I, we all bailed,” Bokuto continued, making Akaashi blink in shock. Wrapping himself in his jacket, Akaashi remained quiet, carefully processing everything he was told. “After that, I went to the cops.” 

A memory of himself snitching went back to Akaashi, a tinge of guilt and fear swelling in his chest. Before he could say anything, however, Bokuto continued. 

“We tried to get the game shut down but they didn't do anything,” he said, eyes glassy and terrified at the memory. “We didn’t know it at the time but the Watchers also came after us for snitching.” 

Akaashi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “How do you mean?” 

Bokuto took a few paces left and right, sighing before looking at Akaashi dead in the eye. 

“They messed with my family business, they leaked photos of my mom and my sisters online,” he spoke as he counted on his fingers, looking at Akaashi with haunted eyes. “They practically leaked and stole our identities, Akaashi.” 

* * *

“You did what?” Semi gaped at their driver, hearing the story. At the backseat, Suga, Atsumu and Shirabu remained speechless in shock. “YOU ALMOST DIED ON NERVE BEFORE?! HOW DID WE MISS THIS?” 

Kenma speeded another traffic light, much to Suga’s nth reminder to follow the law. If he were to be honest, in everything their entire week was spent on, there’s nothing left on the law they haven’t broken already. In Atsumu’s drunken but reasonable defense of Kenma, the local neighborhood’s streets devoid of anything but parked cars and smoking people anyway. 

“Yes, believe it.” He then swiftly turned the street, snapping the four out of their shock at the drift. Suga held onto the handle at the back, eyes trained at him. 

“FIRST OF ALL, WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO DRIVE?!” He held onto his chest as if to keep his racing heart from bursting. 

“I drive in GTA.” 

“God...” Semi sighed in exasperation, headache creeping. Beside him, Suga gasped. 

“That’s literally not the same thing!”

“Hey, hey, hey, wait! How in the fuck did you quit? Didn’t you bail?” Shirabu asked, half-intrigued at the revelation and half-scared for his life at the passenger seat. 

“I entered the next season in secret and championed,” Kenma replied casually, stepping on the pedal and speeding more. “I’m not a prisoner anymore and I told myself I’m never concerning myself with this stupid game ever again but here the fuck we are.” 

“You what? What game? He what?” Atsumu blinked at him via the mirror, drunkenness subsided by his friends. “What are we talking about again?” 

Semi and Suga were both palming their face hard to answer him. 

* * *

“Those who bailed became prisoners of the game,” Bokuto explained, now nearby the port’s entrance and his parked motorcycle. Beside him, Akaashi followed idly.   
  
“Oh, come on, what does that even mean?”

He patted his pockets for bike keys as he explained. “It's the third category: Watcher, Player, Prisoner.” 

“We’re players,” Akaashi stated, more to remind himself than to agree. The pair stopped when Bokuto dug out his keys and slid them in, revving his bike up a few to warm it up.

“Oh wait. Huh?” Akaashi paused, meeting Bokuto in an unspoken question. The gray-haired man understood and nodded. 

“The only way out if you’re a prisoner is to win.” 

He blinked. 

“So basically, you have to win.” 

“No, _you_ do.” Bokuto sighed, handing him a helmet. Staring into his eyes, “You're a Prisoner now, Grey.”

Akaashi mindlessly received the helmet, the words echoing in his head. Bokuto stared at him for a few seconds, a look crossed between pity and apology. He rode his bike and gestured for Akaashi to do the same. Still lost in the realization, he did as told. For a few seconds, they remained still. The only sounds were the nearby sea and the bike’s revving engine. If Akaashi leaned more forward, he’d hear Bokuto breathing as well. Not that he would, but a part of him still wants to. 

The older man finally broke the silence for a second, revving his engine again. He kicked the stand away and prepared to drive away. Before he did, he sighed.

“Okay, you and I, we're going to the final round together and I'm gonna lose and let you win. That’s the plan. Do you understand?” 

Akaashi stared at him via the side mirrors and shook his head, consciousness slowly coming back into his body. His heart sank in his chest the more he delved onto the proposal. 

“What? Bokuto-san, no. You can't do that.” He inhaled shakily, hands cold against the bike’s back handles. “Please, no.” 

_TOP THREE FINALISTS_

1\. @Grey 34k views   
2\. @blackcat 33k views [LIVE] •  
3\. @Strix 31k views 

Bokuto abruptly ignores this and started to drive back to the city. “I told the Watchers to give me a dare that's gonna knock Kuroo out of second place and back to third. I’ll be second and...” 

“Bokuto-san...” Akaashi cried, eyes dry because of the wind hitting his face but wet nonetheless. As if that would work. As if that’s exactly what would get Akaashi out of Nerve for good. If Bokuto dies, he’ll carry it with him forever. There’s no greater pain for him than to live with guilt. 

“No.” 

“...and by then, it's gonna be me and you.” 

He already choked just thinking about it. 

Holding a cold body in the middle of nowhere, shaking and weeping...

No way. He can't let that happen. 

"There must be a way, right?"

_Beep! Beep!_

_Kenma is calling..._

Bokuto stopped for a red light, but Akaashi kept his hands back. He had to think. If heart and pure spontaneity got him in, then it must be brains and calculation to get him out. 

_Missed calls (68)_

He had to think of his moves this time. Impulsivity can only get him so far. 

* * *

“l just hope he's okay—“ A ring interrupted the sentence, Suga staring at the caller ID in surprise. “It’s him! It’s ringing now!” 

The group scrambled in attention, leaning to Suga who is in the middle backseat holding Kenma’s phone. 

“Put it on speaker!” The pudding-haired driver practically screamed, Suga following suit.

“ _Hello? Guys, it's me._ ” 

“Oh, my—Akaashi, where are you?” Suga screamed. Semi, Shirabu and Atsumu flinched, but leaned close to hear their friend’s voice. 

“ _I'm so sorry._ ” 

“It doesn't matter, we’re just glad you're okay.” Everyone let out a sigh of relief, even Atsumu who looked like he's suffering from many drunken repercussions at once. The peace was cut off by Kenma asking where he was again. 

“Alright, where are you? We’re picking you up.” 

“ _I can't._ ” 

“The fuck you mean you cant—?” 

Kenma stepped so hard on the brakes it made a squeak. 

“Akaashi, what?” Suga exclaimed. 

“ _I have to finish this._ ”

The friends made confused eye contact that Akaashi’s low tone, the only one indifferent being Shirabu who looked more excited than intrigued, as much “excited” face can pull off.

“Finish what exactly? Are you doing a dare right now?” Kenma asked.

“ _No, Nerve,_ ” Akaashi answered, the wind blowing onto the mic. Kenma figured he was somewhere outside, walking. “ _The entire game._ ” 

In his head, Kenma immediately went back to the entire trouble he almost got himself and Atsumu in just for using Atsumu’s PC to access the dark web. He also came to remember all his underground hacking days at Yaku’s place and how astounded he was when he heard of Nerve for the first time. He gulped at the proposed revolution; he expected Akaashi to be responsible, but not on this scale. If this fails, what then? 

He even sounds like Oikawa, what the hell? 

“Are you serious?” he finally exclaimed after solid 10 seconds of thinking.

“Akaashi, what are you talking about?” Shirabu asked, calmer and more intrigued. 

“ _It's never gonna end, I mean, even if they live me alone, they're just gonna do it to somebody else.”_

“Yooo!” Atsumu suddenly spoke, making Semi jump at the backseat. “He had a point, guys!” 

As much as Kenma wanted to snap at Atsumu, he was right. Akaashi had a point; a point that he also shared back when he himself was imprisoned by the ruthlessness of the game. He remembered feeling hopeless but also swearing vengeance: that one day he will put an end to the chaos and do the impossible. 

His phone vibrated, showing a new message above the ongoing call ID. 

_Kuroo_ || yo ken i think im out? lol tf is going on   
_Kuroo_ || call me 

Shirabu pretended he didn’t see what he just did as Kenma swiped the notifications away. As much as he branded Kuroo as annoying, he can have a really great timing at times. He was there to remind himself of what’s important, and what to do. 

He opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Atsumu who seemed to be too bored of the silence to bear it further. The blonde seemed to sober up a bit, which was good. 

“We can't stop the game if we wanted to, man,” he said, “There's no one to stop. It's just a bunch of anonymous people.” 

Even without Akaashi there, Kenma can literally feel the eye contact they could have done. Sharing the same thoughts, they spoke the same thoughts at the same time. 

“What if they weren't anonymous?” 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate myself lol I literally forgot this existed. Anyway, watch Alice in Borderland and stan SKZ if you haven’t already. pls forgive my dumbass


End file.
